APPRENTICE LEVEL

MONSTER MANUAL
by Daniel “Tuz-oh“ L.
CONTENT
Monster Groups Page
Brigands ..................................................3

Beasts ..................................................5

Cultists ...............................................10

Undead ...............................................13

Swinefolk ...............................................17

Weald Corruption ...............................................23

Pelagics ...............................................26

Bloodsuckers ...............................................31

The Farmstead ...............................................36

The Collector ...............................................40

The Shambler ...............................................42

Created by Daniel “Tuz-oh“ L.

You can find more of my content here:
https://twitter.com/dm_tuz
https://dm-tuz.tumblr.com/

Check out https://www.patreon.com/DMTuz or https://ko-fi.com/dmtuzoh

if you want to support me and my work!
BRIGANDS
Eventually, the Ancestor‘s reputation got to the ears of When the Ancestor opened the Portal underneath the
the people of the Hamlet. When rumors of his experi- Manor and unleashed the ‘entity’, things escalated
ments and rituals stopped being fascinating and became quickly. The Ancestor locked himself in the Manor,
heretical, they started to rebel against him. refusing to see anyone and when it became time to pay
First he tried to offer the local constabulary a generous his mercenary army, the Brigands Brigade simply packed
amount of gold to keep the peace, but they refused his up their things and left when it became clear that would
offer as they join the rebellion against him. To ease the be no further payment for them. But the infamous Br
pressure on him and reassert his rule, the Ancestor hired gands Brigade has not dispersed with the wind as many
bands of mercenaries, killers, and bandits to suppress had hoped, those same mercenaries turned to banditry
and cut down the population, most terrifyingly with the and had set up camp within the Weald, from there they
help of great cannons of immense power. continue to terrorize the Hamlet, milking the Estate and
surrounding lands for every coin it‘s worth. So long as
the Brigands Brigade exists, no one will be safe on the
Old Road.

3
 BRIGAND POUNDER
One of the powerful cannons used by the “Brigands
Brigade” to quench the uprising in the hamlet.

Brigand 8 Pounder
BRIGAND BLOODLETTER Large Object

One of the members of the infamous „Brigands Brigade“, Armor Class: 16

the Brigand Bloodletter is a hulking, battle-scarred brute Hit Points: 90
who typically fights in the front to shield weaker allies. Damage Immunities: poison, psychic
Armed with a vicious cat o‘ nine tails whip and a deadly
flintlock pistol, he is ready to give his enemies deep and This cannon uses gunpowder to propel anti infantery
bloody scars to match his. shells. Before it can be fired, the Pounder must be loaded
and aimed. It takes one action to load the weapon. To fire
the Pounder a creature must spend an action to operate
it. The Pounder fires at the beginning of the operating
creature’s next turn, unless the creature is no longer
operating it.
When the Pounder fires, roll a 20-sided dice. On a roll
between 1-7 the cannon missfires and does not fire this
turn.
8 Pund Shell. Each creature in a 20 foot sphere cen-
tered on a point within 200 feet must make a DC 14
Dexterity saving throw. A target takes 10 (3d6) bludgeo-
ning and 10 (3d6) fire damage on a failed save, or half as
much damage on a successful one.

4
BEASTS
Beast are savage animals that have been tainted by the
spreading darkness or awakened by those who trespass
CARRION EATER
The Carrion Eaters were originally meek, worm-like
into their ancient domain.
scavengers that lived in the Warrens, living short and
pathetic lives as they fed upon the tiny bits of waste
MAGGOT dripping into the sludge-filled tunnels they called home.
That all changed when the Swinefolk started occupying
Maggots are the larval form of the common housefly. the Warrens; their less-than-refined eating habits brought
They are found anywhere where death is prevalent and much more generous amounts of scraps for the Carrion
rotting meat can be found in abundance, but the ones Eaters to eat and thrive off.
around the Estate seem far larger and more aggressive Now the Carrion Eaters crawl happily within the filth and
than normal. Speculations abound as to why they have grime of the plague-soaked corridors, or any other place
grown to immense size instead of pupating and maturing that is luring them with the smell of death and decay,
into flies. One possibility is that the corruption plaguing spreading sickness and disease on whatever they can
the Estate prevents them from maturing any further. sink their grotesque fangs into.
Another is that feeding on the corpses left over from the
Ancestor‘s experiments in Necromancy caused changes
within them.

5
SPIDER WEBBER
As the corruption spread across the Estate, its malefic Webbers are widely considered to be the females of
influence turned many mostly harmless creatures into their species due to their more washed out colors and
monstrous beasts. The Spiders being an excellent markings. Instead of generating venom, the females are
example of this. Once upon a time, these arachnids capable of producing webbing which they can use to
were a small, ordinary species native to these lands that create their nests and to catch prey.
solely preyed upon other small insects and arachnids.
However, as the corruption took hold, it caused them SPITTER
grow to immense size and enhanced their innate abilities Spitters are widely considered to be the males of their
and strength, which has allowed them to prey on larger species, due to their bright colors and spiked abdomens.
game, including humans. Unlike most other spiders Unlike the females, which are capable of producing web-
which are solitary hunters, these ones are highly social bing, the males are able to spit blobs of caustic venom
and often hunt in groups. from their mandibles with deadly accuracy.

6
RABID GNASHER
These poor beasts were warped and twisted to bear the
likeness of the Weald as it is now; a blackened evil that
seeks nothing but death. The Gnashers are very agile
beasts found in the Weald, and will never be alone, for
they hunt in menacing packs surrounding the area. On
rare occasions they accompany Brigands on their vicious
raids.
Their howls and snarling can be heard echoing through
the thickened groves, always scanning its prey and wai-
ting for the chance to strike.

7
SNAKES
These exotic creatures hail from the warm lands far How these creatures ended up in the Estate is a mystery.
beyond the estate. These ruthless creatures dominate Perhaps a reckless collector had some of their speci-
a hostile environment of heat and sand, growing into mens escape into the wilds. But mayhaps these scaled
relentless killers that stalk their prey across the dunes. beasts came of their own volition. Pursuing an alluring
prey of beatuy that escaped their fangs once at a great
price. A prey that they never could forget, same
as she could never forget their deadly fangs.

8
9
CULTISTS CULTIST ACOLYTE
Acolytes are the dark priestesses of their religion. While
Devoted and fanatical followers of the Old Gods, they
Acolytes lack raw physical strength, they more make up
were drawn to the Estate by either witnessing visions of
for it by using their unholy and arcane incantations to
or hearing rumors about the thing that sleeps within the
ravage the minds of those who cross their path.
depths of the Darkest Dungeon. Up until recently, these
heretics used to practice their dark and blasphemous
religion in secret; far away from the ever watchful eye of CULTIST BRAWLER
the Church of Light. However, now that their ranks have Cultist Brawlers serve as the assistants and bodyguards
grown substantially in both number and strength, they to the Cultist Acolytes. They use their sharped blades to
have begun to conduct their unholy rituals and human inflict deep, gaping wounds on their victims. They cons-
sacrifices openly; all in the hopes of awakening the god tantly patrol the various areas of the Estate in search
that lays slumbering below and joining it in glorious of new sacrifices or to slaughter any who would dare
ascension. oppose their mission.

10
MADMAN
A deranged lunatic that recently escaped from the local
insane asylum. Ceaselessly tormented by terrifying visi-
ons and revelations he traveled to the Estate in the hopes
of finally finding the source of what haunts his mind.
However, what he found there did not give him peace, but
instead finally drove him over the edge into the infinite
depths of madness.
With his mind fully broken he aimlessly wanders the
Estate, driving any poor souls unfortunate enough to
cross his path insane with his litany of curses, insane
ramblings, and terrible revelations.

11
THE PROPHET
Around the same time the Ancestor began the exca-
vations beneath the Manor, there arrived a man at the
Hamlet, and he decried publicly that the Ancestor was
a harbinger of doom if he wasn‘t stopped. While appea-
ring to be a dirty homeless man, this Prophet seemed
to possess an uncanny amount of knowledge about
the Ancestor’s ambitions and secretive experiments he
had done. He drew the attention of the townsfolk with
his wild speculations and prophecies, which may have
inspired the people of the Hamlet to rebel against the
Ancestor and his blasphemous experiments.
Nothing the Ancestor did could stop this prophet, and all
murder attempts failed as well, doing nothing to quell the
growing worries and suspicions of the townsfolk about
him and his secret experiments. The Ancestor eventually
lured the Prophet to the dig site underneath the Manor
where he revealed all of his plans to the prophet and
showed him what he had dug up, resulting in the prophet
completely losing what sanity he had left, tearing out his
own eyes and running away, screaming that the end was
upon us all. Today, the Blind Prophet continues his apo-
calyptic ravings in the darkness of the Ruins, becoming
the leader of the Cultists that wander the land. Instead of
warning people of the coming doom, he uses his power
of prognostication to tell his new flock about the wonders
their new god will bring, what wondrous gifts will bestow
upon the faithful, and the new world their new god will
create for them when he finally awakens from his count-
less eons of slumber.

12
UNDEAD
Even the dead know no rest from the evils that lurk Reanimated by the dark and unholy magics of the Necro-
within the Darkest Dungeon. Within the Ruins were mancer and his Apprentices, they serve their new master
innumerable graves of servants who, in times long past, with blind, unquestioning fervor. While they normally
served the family with honor and unwavering loyalty. reside in the Ruins with the rest of the undead, some
However, when their mortal lives ended, so too did their have been seen assisting servants of the darkness in
loyalties. other areas of the Estate.

13
BONE DEFENDER BONE ARBALIST
Once a proud shieldbearer, the Bone Defenders were A marksman and crossbow expert in life, the Bone
honorable and loyal soldiers that served the family in Arbalist served as part of the regiment of honorable
ages long since passed. Holding the line on the battlefield and loyal soldiers who served and defended the family
with shield and trusty axe, those who were slain on the in ages long since passed. Standing tall on the
field of battle were given a place within the crypts of the bastions and battlements, they would keep an ever
Ruins among those who fought and died on the battle- watchful eye out for foreign invaders and occasional
field for the family’s name and glory. It protects its unholy troublemakers. For their service, they earned a place
allies with his own body, holding the line with its sturdy among the others who fought and died for the family
shield and armor. within the crypts of the Ruins.
Now drafted into the service of the Necromancer this
skeletal archer stalks the halls of the Ruins, ready to
stop any and all trespassers with a well-placed
crossbow bolt.

14
BONE COURTIER
There are innumerable graves, tombs and crypts within
the Ruins, serving as final resting places for many of the
people who used to call that place home. These burial
grounds are filled with servants, warriors, and heroes
alike, people that served the great family with honor
and loyalty. Like the family, some of them were of noble
blood. The Bone Courtiers appear to be nobles, perhaps
in life they were friends or allies to the family or they may
even have been some of their ancient long forgotten
ancestors.
Though not born warriors in life, these deceased noble-
men were still brought back to serve the Necromancer‘s
dark purposes. Their decadent taste persist even in
death, drinking their minds away and inviting heroes to
madness with the tainted contents of their goblet. With
just a few splashes from their unholy goblet, the Bone
Courtiers are more than able to drive even hardened
adventurers to the brink of insanity.

“The Fiends must be driven back. And what better place to begin than the seat of our noble line?”

15
NECROMANCER
In one of his earliest pursuits for forbidden knowledge,
the Ancestor began to conduct experiments which would
grant him mastery over life and death. His experiments
started out small and humble but his ambition and his
experiments grew so large that he needed help. So, he
invited several scholars to study with him, only to murder
them in their sleep after he‘d learned all their secrets.
To show off his newfound powers, he had them brought
back through necromancy with much of their intellect in-
tact, but with none of their humanity left. The Necroman-
cer and his Apprentices now lurk within the ruins, using
their magic to bring the corpses buried deep beneath
the ground back to life as their servants and continuing
their unholy experiments with necromancy. Without any
spark of humanity, humility or even sense of common
human morals, the Necromancers stopped questioning
themselves on what they were doing was right, and their
experiments became ever more darker and more twisted
over time.

Now, the Ruins are completely overrun by the Undead,

and the Necromancer and his Apprentices have maste-
red their dark arts. With their experiments, they have
become creatures that have not only transcended life
and death, but have become something beyond human
understanding.

16
SWINEFOLK
Many years ago, when the Ancestor still had a small ves- When the Ancestor discovered the ancient Warrens, he
tige of human decency left within him, he decided to use repurposed them into a dumping grounds for his most
pigs as test subjects for his grim experiments rather than underwhelming results and disappointing failures. Today,
humans. Since the flesh of pigs is so similar to that of the Warrens have become home to the descendants of
humans, they made nearly perfect vessels for the eldritch those experiments called the Swinefolk, a warrior race
entities he was attempting to summon via blood magic of pig people whose sole desire is to butcher and feed on
and dark rituals. Many of the pigs that were possessed any human they can get their hoofed claws on.
by these unspeakable horrors began to walk upright and
gained more human-like features and intelligence, while
others became weak and misshapen wretches.

17
SWINE CHOPPER SWINE DRUMMER
This large, brutish hybrid of man and pig is one of the Harrowing drumming that is joined by wild squeals he-
healthier specimens of Swinefolk faced in the Warrens. rald the presence of one of the Swinefolk rare shamans.
When not ferociously butchering the cold and mangled While not possessing any battle prowess the Swine
flesh of his soon-to-be dinner, the Swine Chopper will Drummer‘s rythm is able to enhance the ferocity of its
happily test its bloody, serrated cleaver upon the bodies kin, as well as degradating one‘s mind.
of naive adventurers who might happen upon its squa-
lid home. Slow and hulking, the Chopper also wields a
heavy ball and chain to extend its range with head-ring-
ing efficiency.

18
SWINE PRINCE & WILBUR THE FLESH
After countless failures in the Ancestor’s pursuit to sum- The Ancestor eventually got tired of his attempts at
mon beings from the outer spheres, which resulted in demonic summoning, with his most successful creation
the creation of the Swinefolk and other far more horrid being the uselessly stupid and ravenous Swine Prince.
abominations, he eventually managed to summon a parti- He was left with the problem of a massive amount of
cularly powerful entity, and the pig it possessed grew to a demon-possessed pig flesh that couldn‘t easily be dispo-
gargantuan size. sed of. The Ancestor found the solution to this problem
The resulting abomination he had summoned was bru- once his excavations broke into a vast, ancient system of
tish as it was stupid. After he had pried all the knowledge tunnels and aqueducts. He poured the nightmarish, sha-
he could gain from the entity and could not learn anyt- pe-shifting flesh into the Warrens, and promptly forgot
hing new from it, the Ancestor moved the abomination about it.
into the Warrens with the rest of his failed experiments. Over the years the twisted half-corpses of shifting flesh
Wilbur is a small and skittish Swine that has somehow merged together into one mountainous mass of snout,
become the companion and controller of the frightening- hoof, gristle and bone with countless mouths, teeth and
ly powerful and stupid Swine Prince. In battle, the Swine eyes. Slowly, it began crawling deeper into the sewer
Prince takes orders from Wilbur and protects him, falling labyrinth, searching for food, devouring anything that is
into fits of blind rage whenever Wilbur is hurt. unfortunate to come within its path. The Swinefolk that
It can be safely assumed that Wilbur and the Swine made the Warrens their home both fear and worship this
Prince share some sort of connection, perhaps even prior abomination of formless flesh, bringing it daily offerings
to their cruel transformations. and human sacrifices to keep it appeased, so that it does
not decide to eat them.

“They breed quickly down there in the dark, but perhaps we can slay them even faster.”

19
20
SPECIAL RULES: THE FLESH
Morphing Monstrosity. At the beginning of each
Collective Movement. Each part of the flesh moves round The Flesh changes into one of 4 different Muta-
along with with the first piece of Flesh within a given tions. Roll a 1d4 to determine which form it takes:
round. If a piece of Flesh has moved in a round, it can 1: Head
move up to 10 feet as a move action on its own turn, 2: Bone
but must stay within 5 feet of at least one piece of 3: Heart
Flesh at any time. 4: Rear
The Flesh cannot change into the Mutation it
One Of A Whole. Up to 5 Flesh form one entity that currently has. If you roll for the same Mutation it
shares its total Hit Points. Each Flesh adds its hit currently has, roll again.
points to the total. When these hit points are reduced
to 0, every Flesh that is part of the entity dies. Immutable Form. The Flesh is immune to any spell or
Each part of the Flesh must always remain within 5 effect that would alter its form.
feet of at least one part of the Flesh, or takes 6 (2d6)
damage at the beginning of its turn. If a part of the
Flesh is not within 5 feet of at least one other part of
the Flesh it must use its movement to move within 5
feet of at least one other part of the flesh.

21
22
WEALD CORRUPTION
These former woodlands have been infested by the Without exception, the necrotic fungi that have infected
bizarre fungus cultivated by the disgusting hag and her the Weald corrupt all who stay in these blighted woods
witches and transformed the ecosystem into a sinister for too long. Countless unfortunate souls have gotten lost
home for decay and rot. among the Weald’s endless serpentine paths and fallen
victim to the corruption.
The claimed victims of the Weald were taken over by its
corruption. They became shambling terrors who are little
more tahn mindless creatures who lash out at those who
have not been tainted by the weald.

23
ECTOPLASM
The corruption of the groves is best shown through Their ability for quick and sudden reproduction allows
these ectoplasmic aberrations, which can ingulf man and Ectoplasm to quickly replentish their numbers and over-
beast alike. At first glance these creatures may appear run even the most seasoned of heroes. Worst still, they
non-threatening, but countless adventures paid for their are able to merge together into a much larger and much
overconficence with a slow, painful, and cruel deaths. more dangerous entity.
Although a single Ectoplasm is fairly weak and can be
destroyed with a righteous blow, it is capable of rapid
reproduction.

24
HAG
The Ancestor had collected many rare and elusive
volumes on ancient herbal properties for his personal
research.
His work was interrupted, however, by a striking young
womand who repeatedly insisted on an audience with
the Ancestor.
Once meeting her the Ancestor found himself greatly
impressed with the woman’s indepth knowledge of hori-
culturalism and its use in arcane practice. So he began
involving her in his research and work. Together they
began to plant, harvest and brew. The woman though,
had a callous habbit for self- experimentation. She began
digesting the products of their research and over time
she began to change. The Ancestor in turn became more
and more disgusted by her grotesque appearance to the
point where she grew intollerable to him. So he banished
her into the the wilds outside of the Estate. There she
continued her research and today the Weald is now a
host for hideous fungi and unspeakable corruption.
VARIANT: CAULDRON
When encountered in her base of operation, you can
often expect the Wizened Hag to have her Cauldron
available. The Wizened Hag encountered together with
her Cauldron is considered a Challenge 5 creature, as the
Cauldron gives her further options in combat.

Cauldron
Large Object
Armor Class: 13
Hit Points: 100
Damage Immunities: poison, psychic
The Wizened Hag can stuff a creature she has grabbed
into the cauldron as a bonus action. A creature inside the
cauldron is stunned and takes 7 (2d6) fire damage at the
beginning of each of its turns. At the end of the creature’s
turn it can make a DC 16 Strength saving throw. on a
success it escapes the cauldron. If the Cauldron has taken
20 points of damage since a creature has been trapped in
it, the trapped creature is freed. Only one creature can be
trapped in the cauldron at a time.

25
PELAGICS
Many eons beyond counting, before the Ancestor was There is much speculation and theory about these
born, before the Manor was built on the hill, even nightmares: some believe that they are the old founders
before the Hamlet was founded, a race of abhorrend of the ancient city; others believe they were created by
creatures with half-fish half -human features called this the original inhabitants; some others believe they were
land their home. once human and transformed into these cold, emotion-
Remnants of their civilization can be found littered less terros of the deep.
around the Estate for those who know where to look. The latter theory may hold some truth, as the Pelagics
But the crown jewel of this ancient empire was a vast are known to kidnap humans for nefarious ends.
underground metropolis underneath the very hill where
the Manor now stands.
However, this ruined city is not abandoned.

VARIANT: PELAGIC CREATURE TYPES

You can feel free to change the creature types of the
Pelagic Grouper, Pelagic Guardian, and Pelagic Shaman
to Aberration or Humanoid (Pelagic). I simply chose the
Monstrosity creature type to represent a bit of lore de-
scribing a human being turned into a Pelagic after being
bitten by one.

26
PELAGIC SHAMAN DROWNED THRALL
The sorcerers and religious leaders of the eerie Pelagics, The Pelagic perform human sacrifices during certain
the Pelagic Shamans are just as hostile as the other phases of the moon, before feasting on what remains
ancient dwellers of the ocean and the Cove, and is a ter- after their vile god has been appeased. But when their
rible foe in its own right. Instead of relying on brute force raiders bring sacrifices that are already deceased - which
to defend their sacred waters, the Shamans use both commonly are sailors or those that have been deemed
ancient knowledge and powers bestowed upon them by unworthy for the offering - the twisted Pelagic Shamans
their oceanic deity to strengthen their allies, and rend the turn these bloated corpses into Drowned Thralls with
minds of their enemies enough to drive any poor unfortu- their unholy magic.
nate soul in earshot of their guttural gibberish insane.

27
DEEP STINGER SEA MAGGOT
Mysterious, elegant, ethereal, and even hauntingly be- Simple-minded creatures that have been enthralled by
autiful, the Deep Stinger is a giant jellyfish-like creature Pelagic sorcery, Sea Maggots appear to be mutated Sea
that, like their marine cousins, gracefully floats through Snails and are the closest thing the Pelagics have to do-
the salty air of the Cove. When they encounter prey, they mesticated pets. While they are neither fast or physically
attack and immobilize them with their paralyzing and strong, they make up for these deficiencies with an incre-
disease-ridden stingers. Once rendered unable to flee or dibly tough shell that can repel even the heaviest of blows
fight back, they then latch onto their prey and feast on and the ability to spit an extremely sticky and disease-rid-
their blood. den slime. This slime ensnares their prey, leaving them
open to being slain by their masters.

28
SIREN
Human women who are unfortunately not killed by the
malignent Pelagic on their raids are abducted into the
darkest depths of the cove.
It is unknown what unspeakable rituals and perverse
incantations produce a creature such as the Siren, a
malformed abomination of desceptive allurement. What
is known is that the pelagic protect these creations with
great devotion and rarely leave them unprotected.
A siren’s grotesque appearence may detract from this
creatures beguiling nature, as she is able to enchant and
dominate even the most stalward mind with the tune of
her song.

“These salt-soaked caverns are teeming with pelagic nightmares - they must be flushed out!”

29
DROWNED CREW
In his search for eldritch knowledge the Ancestor grew
weary of the prying eyes along the roads to the Hamlet.
So he decided to have his more questionable deliveries
recieved by marine shipments. For this purpose he
employed a crew of particularly unsavory mariners,
who would perform the shipments on the behest of the
Ancestor. But, as the Ancestor predicted, they began
to increase their tariffs in return for absolute secrecy
about the dubious contents of the their new contractor.
At this time the Ancestor’s resources had long been
exhausted in the pursuit of his mad endeavour and he
had no intention to disburse the crew.
In their sleep, the Ancestor cursed the crew’s anchor
to damn the Drowned Crew to sink into the dark depth
of the ocean and stay there until the end of time.

30
BLOODSUCKERS
Once a court of nobles who reigned alongside the An-
cestor in his formative years. An unpleasant encounter
has transformed them into sinister creatures enthralled
to their need for ‚The Blood‘. They dwell within The
Courtyard, once a palatial sanctuary for the aristocracy
that ruled over the Hamlet, Now sunken into the swamp.
These grotesque creatures thrive within its virulent wa-
ters. They are consumed by their hunger, although they
still cultivate a veneer of the humanity that has long since
been lost. But the veneer is just that, and a few sips of
blood will bring out the monsters that lurk within.

31
THE CRIMSON CURSE
Those inflicted by the ‘Crimson Curse’ will slowly
change, their noses elongating, their skin becoming de-
athly pale, their eyes becoming larger, black and unblin-
king, their teeth falling out only to be replaced by fangs,
their mind slowly subsuming to delusions and madness,
still believing they are human. Hidden under a thin layer
of fake sophistication and nobility, they are mad beasts
with an insatiable thirst for blood.

MANSERVANT
Manservants were once servants who served as
personal attendants to the Nobles at the Courtyard.
Like buzzing insects in a busy hive, they carried around
trays of delicacies, refilling glasses of blood-red wine
and attending to the needs of their masters. When the
Crimson Curse took root in the Courtyard and infected
those of Noble Blood, it was only a matter of time
before the curse trickled down to those that served
them. Now the Manservants are mindless drone
servants to the vampires of the Courtyard, helping
their masters by giving their lives to protect them with
both their bodies and trays.

Even if they are mindless drones now, the taste of

blood is enough to send them into a frenzy. As the
bloodlust takes hold, they will undergo a hideous
metamorphosis, showing the true monster that is
hidden underneath their thin veneer of sophistication.

32
ESQUIRE
Long ago before the Crimson Curse took hold upon the
Courtyard, the title of Esquire was one of dignity and
respect, accorded to men of higher social rank and aspi-
ring to knighthood, particularly members of the landed
gentry above the rank of Gentleman and below the rank
of Knight.
However that title has been thoroughly dragged through
the blood-soaked mud as these noble lords have fallen
to the blood curse. Preening, mincing and self-aggrandi-
zing in its own frivolous cruelty, there is little dignity left
in them as they feast on the blood of the guilty and the
innocent alike.

33
 CROCODILIAN
Nature itself is not safe from the blood curse; the
sickness that has taken root in the Courtyard is now
spreading into the swamp, and there is no creature great
or small that is safe from its twisted influence. Of all cor-
rupted and mutated creatures that lurks within shallow
waters of the Moor, non are as feared as the Crocodilian.
Where this mighty beast came from, no one knows; some
say it was always living deep within the swamps of the
Moor, while others think that it must have been imported
from some far away land by one of the nobles for his
collection of exotic animals before it escaped from the
menagerie. One thing is clear; this amphibious marauder
must have had close contact with those tainted with the
Crimson Curse, for it has mutated into something abhor-
rent: part crocodile, part insect.

“Soaked and sinking, these stone terraces and sprawling gardens are the site of long forgotten revelry...and well remembered regret.”

34
 FANATIC
A towering and domineering force of seething, zealous
rage and terrible intent, the Fanatic is a monk who has
gone rogue from the Church to hunt down and
slaughter anyone and anything affected by the Crimson
Curse anywhere it can be found. His heavily scarred
face reveals a storied past of brutal and consequential
encounters with the mutated inhabitants of the
Courtyard, from which he has spilled unimaginable
amounts of heathen blood. At his disposal are several
iconic weapons and tools for slaying vampires; stakes,
garlic, crosses and prayers. However, his most
dangerous weapon is his unwavering conviction in the
righteousness of his cause and the zealous fervor with
which he pursues it, even if it means putting himself
directly in harm‘s way. At times, the line between fervor
and the wish for self-destruction can become
precariously blurred.

WHERE IS THE P YRE?

Truth be told: I found no good way to make this work. I
am always trying to find a balance between the mechan-
ics of Darkest Dungeon and translating them to the rules
of D&D but the mechanic of suddenly materializing a
stake and pyre in an single action seemed not right to
me.
Instead i will simply advice you as the DM to use the
pyres in another way. Maybe set up a scenario where
the players will have to free an innocent victim from the
Fanatic who is convinced that they have been infected
by the curse. Have the combat start with an important
character already burning at the stake to give the players
another element except for the fight with the Fanatic
himself to worry about.
- Tuz

35
THE FARMSTEAD
Ever since the Comet struck the Old Windmill, the
Farmstead and its surrounding acres of land have been
severely altered by the otherworldly corruption. As if na-
tural flow of time has been distorted beyond recognition;
once fertile fields are a lifeless wasteland where only
crystallized wheat and mutated pumpkins can grow and
the acres are littered with fossilized remains of people,
farm animals, and petrified crops, as if they have aged
uncountable years in a blink of an eye. Even the stars
above the Farmstead are not right, none of the recogni-
zable constellations can be seen in the night sky and the
Northern Star is in the wrong position, as if these night
skies are not from this time and place.

36
HUSKS
Husks were once living, breathing, feeling beings before Upon infection, the crystals rapidly spread throughout
they were touched by the malevolent crystalline the unfortunate victim and consume them from the
corruption from the stars. The Crystalline Corruption inside out, turning them from beings of warm flesh and
seeks to consume all living and nonliving things that blood into cold, empty and cruel mockeries made of
are made from flesh, blood, bone or any other organic crystal and stone. When a Husk dies, the crystals
materials; people, animals and even certain inanimate inside its hollowed-out body quickly consume whatever
objects that are infected by this Crystalline Corruption remains of the body and blossoms forth from it like a
are all turned into Husks. crystalline flower to spread its corrupting „pollen“.

37
38
THE THING FROM THE STARS
The nature of this lumbering amalgam is shrouded
in mystery. Is it just a shard lost from the whole of the
comet that devastated the farmstead, or is this
abomination the twisted herald of the star that fell
upon this world? Regardless its origin or purpose, if
any, this creature spreads the corrupting seeds of
irradiating pollution far beyond the containment of the
farmstead. It lumbers across the realms, loosing
pieces of its body leaving behind blossoming crystalline
tumors where it passes. But this creature does not
limit itself to the act of giving - it takes.
As it looses pieces of its self it seeks to reconstruct
itself with material it can find. The material being
preferably of flesh and blood, seized from hapless
victims that were unfortunate to cross its path. Thus it
has become a shambling horror of gore and crystal,
that tirelessly continues it’s pilgrimmage that shall
spread the seed of the Sleeper evermore.

39
THE COLLECTOR
The collector is an enigmatic figure that wanders the
surroundings of the estate. Not much is known about
the Collector, except super- ficial descriptions if its most
significant feature: a grand yellow cloak and a cage that
it bears like a mockery of a crown.
Unbeknownst to the common folk, this creature follows a
grim purpose: to collect the souls of the fallen, that died
to the mindtwisting horrors of the region. Each of them
is added to its ever growing collection that are bound to
it until the end of time.
Those foolish enough to stand against the collector and
live to tell the tale report this creature’s willingness to
show and share its grim assortment of souls that it keeps
as an ever growing amalgamation of disfigured heads
hidden underneath its regal coat. A sight that has left
them all shaken, if not driven utterly mad. Worst of all,
the Collector will not hesitate to present most priced
pieces of its collection by summoning forth the souls it
has gathered.
But even one were to fell this wicked being, it would
eventually return. Continueing its dastardly occupation
until the end of time. For its collection will never be
complete.

40
41
 Art Credit: Alevtina

Okoneshnikova

SHAMBLER
All humans have a primodrial fear of the dark. A deep-
seated fear that is not baseless in its nature. As we are
aware on a subconcious level that in the deepest dark the
Shambler lurks.
The Shambler is a primeval nightmare summoned from
the darkest recesses of the unknown. It is a starspawned
horror of infinite malignity born from the Void between
Worlds that was never meant to be seen by mortal men.
The Shambler is a horrific predator of the dark. It is
equipped with writhing tentacles that are able to flay a
man alive in seconds. Furthermore it is able to spawn
vile tendrils at will, to cut off ways of retreat eradicating
any illusion of escape from this horror.
The Shambler is a truely nightmarish beast that lurks in
the shadows, waiting until all forms of light are extingu-
ished so that it is able to enter our world to hunt its prey
and feed its spawn.

42
“The Space between worlds is no place for mortal men.”

43
Art Credits Future Monster Manuals?
The Monsters in this Manual have been
Cover Art - Trudy Castle designed with low-level characters in mind
General Monster Art - Red Hook Studios similar to how Darkest Dungeon is sepe-
rated in Tiers. Starting with Apprentice,
Shambler Art - Alevtina Okoneshnikova
Veteran and Champion.
I have been working on this Manual for
almost a year now, writing and playtesting
all the material you can find in this book. I
might continue this series on a later date if
Other notable Works people are interested and i reach a certain
Besides this Darkest Dungeon Monster goal on my Patreon. Until then i will take a
Manual I have been working on quite a break from this the Darkest Dungeon and
take on other homebrew projects!
range of projects. So if you are interested
in what other kind of content I make, here
Special Thanks
is an overview of other notable works of
These people helped me playtesting the
mine: material you can find in this book. Without
Tuz‘s Fearsome Foes - A series of memo- them this whole project would have just
rable monsters including lore, rumors, lair been one depressing slugfest of me playing
D&D combat encounters with myself over
actions and unique magic items relating to
and over again.
the monster!
Hagspawn Player Race - A unique and Dansome0203 -
flavorful player race, the Hagspawn are the https://twitter.com/kolev0203
Mister Crowbar -
forgotten children of Hags, left behind or
https://twitter.com/MisterCrowbar
to be collected later. Nicki -
Bloodborne Monster Manual (WIP) - A https://twitter.com/TenTheArtist
full Monster Manual featuring monsters Cannonsong -
https://twitter.com/JesSuisMir2000C
and characters from Fromsoftware‘s
Riyami
Bloodborne. https://riyamilea.tumblr.com/
Clockworkable -
https://twitter.com/clockworkable

Created by Daniel “Tuz-oh“ L.

You can find more of my content here:
https://twitter.com/dm_tuz
https://dm-tuz.tumblr.com/

Check out https://www.patreon.com/DMTuz or https://ko-fi.com/dmtuzoh

if you want to support me and my work!