Hyena, Hyaenodon

In most fantasy-esque settings, the presence of hyenas means there are also gnolls around. But you don't have to use them like that. A hyena's uncanny and creepy laughter, their ties to death and decay, in addition to the fact that they just plain look cool means you can get creative.

In combat, hyenas and their larger cousins are built for swarming tactics, working best in large packs where they can benefit from their positioning-related abilities. Both the Hyena and the Hyaenodon make great minions for any wandering bandits or nomadic peoples. Bear in mind that both are Animals, so they have no innate alignment and can be used as animal allies by groups of any alignment.

- Nemanja

Hook 1 (Max) - The Last Laugh

The savanna is a dangerous place to find yourself in, no matter the circumstances. There are a lot of things that can kill you, from predators stalking the terrain to rare diseases.

And then there's the Laughing Jack, the Cackling Stalker, who just so happens to be the biggest oddity around.

No one knows where he came from, but the simple fact of the matter is that he just is. What exactly that is? A big hyena. That laughs maniacally. All the time.

The laugh is what gave him his name and what makes him the most dangerous creature around these parts. "How come?" you might ask, "it's just laughing." Well, my dear traveler, the thing is, Jack's cackle appears to be contagious and not in the same way that the normal glee might be. It literally spreads like a disease. Once you hear it, you're most likely done for. You burst into laughter, tears streaking down your face and you laugh and laugh until your respiratory muscles fail and you suffocate, a stupid grin of amusement planted on your dead face.

Then Laughing Jack moves on, evermore cackling his mad cackle.

Hook 2 (Nemanja) - Sacrament of the Decaying God

A Hero's love has been tragically taken away from him.

In his grief, he is looking to pass into the Otherworld and bring back their soul.

To date, no one but the mad cultists of the Decaying God has pulled that off, and their methods are plainly disturbing. Namely, the cultists partake in odd rituals to mask themselves as hyenas that may pass back and forth through the gates undisturbed. That includes covering themselves in a mixture of ash and spit as well as consuming a psychedelic that puts them in a hysterical state so they emulate the animals through constant laughing. The most disturbing part of the ritual, however, is The Partaking.

During The Partaking, the cultists form a circle wherein each participant takes a bite of flesh from the person on their right.

While the ritual is fully consensual, whispers of man-flesh being addictive never truly die. Whether the Hero is willing to risk eternal damnation for his one true love must now be decided...

Hook 3 (Reece) - The Whispering Hunger

In the Ash Barrens east of The Burning Desert, the Hyena, not native to the land, has found itself a unique niche in the ecology of the land. They are particularly resistant to a plague that has been sweeping the local villages. The plague is, unfortunately for everyone involved except for the hyenas, not natural.

They call it The Plague of Whispering Hunger, mainly because when someone dies from it, others that are near to the corpse find themselves compelled to eat the flesh of the deceased, thereby infecting them. This strange disease has been wreaking havoc on the local population for over a generation, as it seems tied to some terrible demonic influence deep within the desert. Fortunately for both the hyenas and the locals, the hyenas—being animals immune to the temptations of demons—are perfectly capable of disposing of the corpses. All other methods—be they burial, burning, or otherwise—have not succeeded in sating The Whispering Hunger, as the whispers will only subside once the bones of been picked clean of flesh. The hyenas have been more than willing to oblige the free meals, and a strange symbiosis has emerged.

Some have even begun to keep hyenas as pets, expecting to feed their loved ones—or even their own corpse—to the family "dog". The strangeness of the situation is seen as repulsive by many outsiders, though those within the Ash Barrens find themselves preferring being consume upon death to the alternative—a rage-fueled madness that drives one to kill their neighbors and loved ones so that they too may consume their flesh, before quickly expiring as they waste away.

Hellhound, Nessian Warhound

The hellhound is indeed one of the most iconic creatures of classic fantasy tabletops. As one of the oldest creatures in the game—both in the sense of the idiom and literally—this fiendish foe comes in two varieties; the classic Hellhound for that early-level punch and the Nessian Warhound for a reminder later on that the forces of the evil aren't messing around.

The hellhound at level 3 makes a wonderful minion to some greater threats between party levels 2 and 5. It remains threatening throughout, as its go-to jaw attack does an extreme amount of damage for its level—assuming the target is good-aligned, of course. Though it's a simple creature, it does exactly as it needs—especially when working in packs. Any fire breath that is used in combat has the potential to recharge allied fire breaths. A potent combination.

The Nessian Warhound operates in this same space, only at level 9 with the added nastiness that it can use a reaction to recharge its own breath weapon if you hit it too hard.

These two creatures are indeed Hell's Best Friend. Consider including them when you want to hint at more nefarious forces at play within your world. Also, consider what you could do to easily modify the statblock to make it more horrifying! Make them explode on death! Make a death hound that does negative damage instead of fire! Make Cerberus and cross the Hydra with the Nessian Warhound!

The game is yours. Give them hell.

- Reece

Hook 1 (Max) - The Nighthound

The local baron is very proud of his hound, naming it as the reason his hunts always go without issue—no prey can escape him. To his credit, it is most likely true. Every single one of his ancestors has had an animal like this; some theorize that the family is blessed by the spirit of a great hunter who watches over them and takes the form of the creature that aids them.

This beast appears to be a large wolf, its fur is black as coal and its eyes are cold pupilless white orbs. Unusual, no doubt, but nothing that should make people wary.

What should scare them, however, is the fact that in the darkness of night, shadows in the shape of a hound stalk both the castle and the outlying town. Where these shadows lurk, bodies are often found in the early morning hours after it's been spotted, seeming as if attacked by a large dog. Stranger still, these corpses are not only torn apart, they are also singed or terribly burned as if someone wished to hide the evidence of the killing.

Hook 2 (Nemanja) - The Beasts of Mochmor

The warlock-kings of the secluded orkish kingdom of Mochmor have been hunting alongside a pack of blood-haired hyenas for as long as anyone can remember.

In truth, it is not the hyenas who serve the warlocks, rather it is the reverse. The fiendish predators have a reputation for hunting down aasimars on the material plane. This, of course, is achieved by pointing their vassal kingdom in the direction of any single target they deem worthy. They raid and even declare wars without regard, all to score a singular kill against their most hated foes.

Hook 3 (TJ) - Can We Keep Him?

"Look Daddy, a puppy!"

Griswold turned to look in the direction his son was indicating. Sure enough, there was a small canine in the alley to their right. And it was smoking. Smoldering, even. Oh, dear gods. He rushed to it as it limped out of the alleyway. Had someone tortured this poor little dog? He went to pick it up and almost immediately dropped it, his hands singed. The dog—or maybe creature—was hot to the touch, though it didn't seem to be damaged save for the limp. The small pup looked up at him and Griswold froze. Its eyes were like burning coals. It licked him in his stunned state and his skin charred where its tongue passed.

"Back away, son, it isn't safe!"

But Luka didn't listen. He outstretched his arms for the small dog and it lept into them. Immediately, the boy's clothes began to scorch, small burn holes pocking the new outfit. His husband wasn't going to like this. He turned back to his father with wide eyes, oblivious to his now-smoking clothes. Before he could utter a word to drop the thing, Griswold already knew what was coming next. His husband wasn't going to like this either.

"Please, Dad, can we keep him?"

Still shocked, words fled his mind as he rushed over to Luka to tear the dog away from him. His clothes were already thoroughly burned.

His skin was not.

Grothlut

When considering fates worse than death, being turned into a Grothlut is surely one of them. These mindless, pitiful creatures only have a passing resemblance to their former selves as they are now coated in slime and waste, found slithering in the darkness and moaning miserably at the sight of another living being. Some vestige of their shattered psyche perhaps remains, woefully aware of its circumstance.

Other than its normal ranged and melee attack, the grothlut's main abilities are its Piteous Moan and Disgusting Demise. The former is a pretty strong crowd control ability that can be used to great effect when paired with other combatants on the abomination's side (more than likely its creator), while the latter makes the monster a good kamikaze-style enemy. This pairing turns the creature into a solid choice for the frontline of any assault en masse.

- Max

Hook 1 (Max) - Father and Son

Old Man Heimmer is desperate. Desperate enough to ask the unsavory vagabonds passing through his village for help.

Not long ago his only son, Jahn, left the village. That alone wouldn't be such a terrible thing were it not for the fact that he departed with a wandering wizard who, according to Heimmer, put some sort of charm on the young man. There was a decidedly odd and frankly unsettling feeling to the mage's countenance. Many described his presence as something that "sent a chill down your spine when you looked at him". Most of the villagers steered clear of him, save Jahn, who still had his head full of dreams of derring-do and adventure. He took the arcanist's offer to join him almost immediately.

Heimmer is worried, though. He wants his son to come back, or at least for someone to check on the young man, as he is far too old to do so himself.

Sadly, Heimmer's worries stem from a grim reality, as the wizard dabbles in rather unsavory practices. He is, in fact, actively being hunted down by many of his colleagues due to his disturbing backlog of failed experiments. Unfortunately for young Jahn, the mage is sure that this one will turn out differently and he is determined to see it through so that he may discover how far he can take the powers of transmutation.

Hook 2 (Nemanja) - The Pozica Strategem

Unless it is an absolute must, a grothlut will never touch salt.

Before abandoning the outpost of Pozica, the drow therein used this fact for a final, devilish scheme - painted on the floors of both the keep and other major facilities are lines of salt-infused paint that create lanes in which the grothluts patrol.

While the drow are long gone, the slug-men still patrol the halls, moaning pathetically as they guard the veritable trove of alchemical goods that remain unplundered within

Hook 3 (Reece) - A Pleading Letter

Dearest Brother,

I implore that you do not enlist as you so often told me you would. With great effort, I have passed this letter twelve trenches back to the main messenger's outpost where I hope it then survives long enough to reach you.

The elves have grown both bolder and crueler in their strategies to route us from the southern plains. When the war started and we enlisted, we thought it would be a grand thing; we were to defend our homeland and our kin from the savageries of the fair folk.

It is not so.

The artillery was the first sign of what was to come, I think. Alchemical fires and salvos of arcane energies rained from the heavens. We built these sheltered bunkers because of those brutal weapons, many of which have taken friends dear to me.

The creatures they deployed some weeks later have been the worst of it though. A soldier two trenches forward told me about how when one of the things rushed the bunker, it tore two men apart and then exploded when stuck with enough blades. The ones that survived will be... Scarred.

I beg you, listen to mother. Stay home. Do not seek the front.

With Love,

Lieutenant Doctor Chessa Everstone 

Gnoll (Cultist, Seregant, & Hunter)

Gnolls tend to have a rather unsavory reputation, most often deservedly so. Their relation to hyenas is made obvious not only in their appearance, but also their behavior - moving in packs, refusing to waste any meat (well, almost any), including that of their own fallen kin and, generally, steering towards bloodthirsty bouts of violence rather than fine arts.

As previously mentioned, they have some inkling of reverence towards remains of living creatures, albeit they display it in their own gruesome way.

By eating them.

Refusing to eat someone's corpse is, in a gnoll's eyes, a great slight toward the deceased. A thing to keep in mind in more social interactions, perhaps.
An interesting note about their physiology: females are bigger and stronger than the males to the point that it's typically them leading the packs of hunters or warriors to battle.

Despite their apparent lack of aptitude for matters considered practical by most of the civilized world, gnolls prove to be quite an efficient force in combat, particularly given their pack mentality. This is illustrated particularly by their Pack Attack ability, which can greatly improve the damage output of any group of gnolls the party could stumble upon. Once you consider that the gnoll deals extra damage if any two allies are within reach, and then realize that most of them have have access to Attack of Opportunity, you can set up one nasty surprise for your players.

Hook 1 (Max) - Betrayer of Blood

There is word of a pack of ravenous beasts rowing the nearby plains, leaving only devoured corpses of animals in their wake.

They are trailing one of their own, a traitor to their tribe in need of swift judgement. Not all of them are willing to disclose the exact nature of this crime. When pressured in the right way though, a few among them will describe the night when Khazrash poisoned their chieftain, the group leader's father, leading to a rupture in the clan. Terash now seeks revenge for her sire as doesn't have much else to lose, rage fueled by the betrayal of her once closest friend.

Hook 2 (TJ) - Tooth for a Tooth

In gnoll society, teeth are highly prized. A gnoll is not considered fit for the hunt until all of their milk teeth fall out and are fully replaced with their permanent teeth. The gnollish phrase "still got your milk teeth" is a reflection of this idea, and is commonly used to refer to inexperienced outsiders.

As the teeth are used primarily for capturing prey, gnolls who settle disputes with strength rely on hand-to-hand combat. Knocking an opponent's tooth out in a fight is the ultimate indicator of victory. Any tooth gained in this way is commonly kept as a proof of a favor owed, to be returned when the favor is cashed in. As a result, any gnoll who's "got all their teeth" is one who is both strong and above reproach in society.

This also led to a more unusual development; gnolls are considered the progenitors of modern dentistry. Gnoll physiology is more forgiving of infectious materials given their propensity for eating carrion. As such, they were able to develop techniques for dental work first and worry about sterilization later. These gnollish techniques for reinserting teeth or creating dentures are highly valuable to all of the surrounding peoples and has led to some gnolls adjusting to a lifestyle of nomadic, philanthropic, dentistry.

Hook 3 (Nemanja) - Dregs of the Imperium

In the hobgoblin-ruled Imperium Of The Perfect Life, every subject species has a role, even those once treated as barbaric. The recently conquered gnoll tribes, for example, are tasked with taking care of the ever-growing pile of bodies coming back from the Holy Conquest.

In times of relative peace, when not many soldiers fall to the Adversary, gnoll-adjacent neighbourhoods might occasionally report missing children or pets. The authorities are instructed to turn a blind eye, though, for the danger of another Undead Uprising is far greater than letting the occasional civilian get eaten.

Gelatinous Cube

The Gelatinous Cube is a simple creature. It's just mindless block of ooze, shuffling around looking for something to eat. Some days I can empathize. In my mind, a gelatinous cube is more of a classic dungeon-crawling "gotcha" than really something interesting to encounter. Found usually for no good reason other than "you're in a dungeon," the gelatinous cube doesn't pose much threat to a prepared party. It's very slow, has nothing for a Reflex save, and despite having low AC, ooze immunities make it impossible to crit, removing the largest penalty PF2e would give it based on the crit rules. It's a sack of hit points that tries to eat you, nothing new here.

The mindless trait implies to me that gelatinous cubes are predictable; they will always move in the direction of food and will not make snap decisions about who is attacking them or what the biggest threat is. This means that gelatinous cubes might be best used either in groups or in service to a smarter beast that can exploit them. A maniacal wizard dropping gelatinous cubes from traps in the ceiling? Sure. A kitchen using a gelatinous cube as a primeval garbage disposal? Ship it.

This is also a great monster to make sure you understand PF2e's incapacitation trait. Any creature more than double the level of the gelatinous cube treats its saving throw against the cube's Paralysis ability as one degree of success better. This puts an upper limit on how effective the cube can really be when using it as a minion of sorts. You could also use it intentionally as a minor roadblock at higher levels, integrating it more fluidly with traps. Are the PCs mostly going to succeed their saving throws based on the Incapacitation trait? Sure. But critical failures still exist, and they might just show up at the most inconvenient time.

Hook 1 (TJ) - Secret Ingredient

The sous-chef of the Gilded Goose is in desperate need of some assistance. The regent of Haliford is making his bi-annual visit and will undoubtedly be stopping by for his favorite gelatin dessert. If you're willing to take a vow of silence and a bag of gold for your troubles, the sous-chef has the key for the cellar where the secret ingredient is kept. As long as you're confident you can subdue (but not kill!) the largest gelatinous cube you've ever seen, you'll have the sous-chef's gratitude, and perhaps an audience with the regent.

Hook 2 (Max) - Ancient Armory

In the old ruins south of the town, it's well known that beneath the keep is a small, dark chamber that once served as an armory. Most of the armaments lay in disrepair, though one set of beautiful armor remains untouched by the passage of time; an ornamental plate, pure black with golden embellishments. Its visor is up, revealing it empty. A keen eye, however, might spot a tinge of movement as if flowing water fills the ancient armor.

Hook 3 (Nemanja) - Labyrimpthian

While following an insane, teleporting imp, a group of demon-hunters reach a deviously crafted dungeon; a labyrinthine realm composed entirely of mirrors, expertly placed pit traps, and several roaming gelatinous cubes. The imp seems to know the realm like the back of his hand, but letting him escape is not an option. Luckily, he seems to be enjoying the hunt a bit too much...

Giant Flytrap & Snapping Flytrap

 Getting tired of throwing flesh-and-blood beasts and monsters at your party? Let's try a plant instead! These creatures are not out of place in any discerning gardener's arsenal, and could even occur naturally in your setting. Consider any greenhouse or forest in a humid climate a potential environment for a Flytrap. This well-rounded monster is not difficult to run, it's understandable from a real-world perspective (which just hands you verisimilitude, if you ask me) and is an easy and straight-forward introduction to many game mechanics. With weaknesses (fire), resistances (acid), and the Grab, Swallow Whole, and Rupture mechanics, Flytraps readily showcase what monsters in PF2e have to offer. A standalone Snapping Flytrap could serve as a boss monster as early as level 1! Plenty of plant food for thought.

Hook 1 (TJ) - Hunger for Adventure
Briff Rigglesby, a halfling horticulturist, has gone missing. Convinced of his own sorcerous prowess, he set to exploring an unmarked and unmapped swath of jungle by himself. He is now two weeks overdue for his check-in with the rest of the expedition. Initial scouting reports detail hearing his voice in their heads, beckoning them toward a glade of sun, serenity, and apparent safety in the hostile wilderness. When the ground began to quiver and close up around them, a scout lost his leg to the Giant Flytrap that would have been happy to take more. Fleeing the glade, Briff's voice came to them again, goading their expeditious return; a starving, urgent call.

Hook 2 (Nemanja) - The Trapper's Dance
Trappers, the title for the most respected hunters of the N'guta tribe, are known for the rigorous tests of physical prowess that any upcoming candidates must pass in order to join the elite. One of those tests, meant to measure agility as well as courage and focus, involves snatching a trinket from a massive snapping flytrap's leafy jaws.

Hook 3 (Reece) - The Mouths of Dionaea
To outsiders, the town of Dionaea feels just a little bit... Off. Travelers are warned early and often to stay away from the town's wells. When questioned, the answers the townsfolk provide are anything but consistent. There is a rat problem, the water is rancid, they're cursed or even that they EAT unsuspecting people. With shifty gazes and dodgy answers, those that dig to deep into the town's underground tend to "disappear".

The truth is far darker. Townsfolk feed outsiders that overstay their welcome to a Giant Flytrap named "Gorgroth" and its many smaller mouths located in the humid cave system under the town. They believe the creature brings them power, in addition to the fact that it serves as a convenient means of disposing those the townsfolk dislike or disagree with.

Elemental, Water

 The water elementals in the bestiary include living waterfalls, quatoids, tidal masters, brine sharks, and elemental tsunamis. Most of them are either penalized for not standing in water, or have abilities that benefit from being in open water. While you *can* stick one of them in a pool and have your players surprised and scared, encountering these in the open sea (or, you know, on their home plane of water, that is... all water?) makes for so much more drama.

The Untari jungle is known for its many streams and waterfalls, but any attempt to map their locations is futile, as they appear to be changing places. Indeed, the jungle is a place of thinning, where the material plane meets the plane of water, and the many living waterfalls who keep crossing over find it very fun to move the streams and rivers around. However, they are very shy and secretive about it, and if mortal eyes see them in action, they might grow violent.

The Angulii pass, a stretch of sea between Northlandia and the polar ice caps, is known for its treacherous waters. Many terrible aquatic beasts lurk here, but among the most feared are entire schools of brine sharks. These elementals are said to jump dozens of feet up into the air, dragging sailors with them and plunging them into the cold depths of the ocean. Some of the more experienced sailors claim that offering them fresh water might keep them off - while others dismiss it as dangerous and wasteful superstition.

The Blue Brothers were the twin tidal master guardians of Akhtana Archipelago. One day, a group of small, octopus looking elementals appeared and whispered something into the brothers' ears. The brothers immediately nodded and then left into the deep, never to be seen again.
As the Calamity, an elemental tsunami that visits once every fifteen years, approaches, the islanders must choose: will their strongest and most capable try to stand against the Tsunami themselves, or shall they go on a quest to try and find their lost guardians?

Elemental, Fire

 The fire elementals are so inspiring, that this writeup is already longer then their description in the book. Still, the actual stat blocks actually give us some fun stuff to work with - those stat blocks including the cinder rat, elemental inferno, living wildfire and salamander.

Space pirates of the Nebulon Reach use conjured cinder rats to efficiently sabotage enemy ships. Cinder rats are conjured right into the ventilation systems of space-faring vessels, and their fetid fumes, while not overly toxic, replace fresh air overtime. Some spaceships have taken to hiring teams of halflings, gnome and other small races - these teams are trained to squeeze into the vents and fight the extraplanar vermin.

Unlike other creatures of elemental fire, salamanders can't actually see through thick smoke. This can be very useful to planar travelers, who can sometimes bribe elemental wildfires or other sentient denizens of the plane of fire to help them hide their locations as they traverse the evil salamanders' domain.

Universitas Arcanum, the premier mage school, has a long list of forbidden summons for its conjuration class. While most creatures on the list made it there for their corruptive influence, the elemental inferno is on the list for a simpler reason - it's only purpose to exist is to burn and destroy. However, some younger, more radical mages are looking to challenge several rules of the institution, among them the inclusion of elemental infernos on the forbidden list - but for all their academic pedigree, the mages also feel they aren't good at debates, having spent their lives as reclusive hermits. They are now looking for a lawyer, or really anyone good with words, to take up their case with the high council

Elemental, Earth

This group of golem-lites includes the living landslide, sod hound, stone mauler, xorn, and elemental avalanche. They also need almost no introduction, as "behemoth made of earth and rubble" is just such a common trope across all media.

The Transrealm Shadowbank Corp is the largest chain of banks in the world(s), ran by a shadowy cabal of seven primal dragons. The dragons' rival has recruited several teams to strike at several of those banks, breaking their reputations as impenetrable. The easiest of those includes jumping through an unstable portal to a demiplane strongly aspected to earth - where gems are kept, and sod hounds alert their living landslide handlers when any single one of the precious stones is moved but a millimeter. 

A group of daring thieves have pulled off the impossible - managing to steal a precious diamond from one of the vaults of the Transrealm Shadowbank Corp. Unfortunately, just as they return to the material plane, closing the portal behind them, a hungry xorn appears, and with him some stone mauler thugs. The three-legged gem eater proposes a trade for the diamond, but his companions disposition clearly states that no is not an answer.

Birkenbock mountain is home to a grumpy old elemental avalanche. Unknowingly, when old ladies living on its slopes talk about keeping quiet not to cause an avalanche, they aren't talking about natural avalanches - instead, Ol' Slide is particularly fond of his peace and quiet. Those in the know will sometimes leave offerings in the form of scrolls of silence or similar magical trinkets, and just sometimes, they might unexpectedly stumble upon a gem, or a hidden cave filled with treasures, when traversing the mount.

Elemental, Air

 And so, our week of elementals begins, with the air elementals - including the elemental hurricane, invisible stalker, living whirlwind, the mighty storm lord, and the zephyr hawk.

Griefholme, the city of light and magic, is a place where magic is so commonplace that day-to-day life of most citizens relies on it. One of the many unconventional uses of conjuration is a bounded elemental hurricane that is let out into the streets at night - doing a job of hundreds of servants with brooms within mere minutes. While the creature is under strict orders never to initiate a fight unprovoked, it has taken to its duty very seriously, and will aggressively defend the hygiene of the city.

Whisper is an invisible stalker with a vendetta. Having been called to perform terrible deeds by a rogue necromancer one too many times, he plans to execute the mage. To that end, he has given the necromancer the location of some ancient treasure, hidden on a solitary, faraway mountaintop - but also failed to mention that said mountaintop is an elemental vortex point, notable for being the spawning grounds of large numbers of aggressive young living whirlwinds. However, Ol' Joe the Necromancer wouldn't risk his own life - instead sending naive young adventurers after the treasure, with promises of rewards sure to be broken.

Hush Featherstep is an ancient storm lord noble. In his youth, hush was an avid falconer in his home plane of air - and even in his old days, his trustiest companion, a zephyr hawk named Swyft, had been at his side. Unfortunately, these days Hush's sight has grown weak - and when Swyft goes missing while on a hunt on the material plane, Hush must turn to some mortals for help. All of the signs point towards the bird-like elemental flying straight into a massive storm brewing on the horizon.

Eagle

 Whew, another letter down! On to some simpler encounters, i bring you the eagle, along with the tolkienean giant eagle.

The Everfyre planes are the territory of The Great Eagles. While the majestic birds don't have anything resembling a state, and their ruling body is naught more but a council of elders, it's has been a long-standing custom to ask their permission before settling in their lands, or even more rarely, collecting resources there.
Greedy King Glabradox, unfortunately, stepped all over said tradition and set up several logging operations across the region. These days, any humanoids that trespass without a heavily armed escort are snatched taken to the eagles' home, the Lonely Mountain, for interrogation.

The great eagles of Crownspire train hunting birds for the elves who live in the woods below. However, the eagles are not above intrigue and subterfuge, and more than one falcon has stolen an amulet, hid a letter, or outright attacked their master. When an elven noble ends up dead, their eyes pecked out, an investigation is called for.

The great eagles of Uplands betrayed the ancient oath that they made, and disaster struck. Long ago, the first bird-king made an oath that no kin of his shall ever take part in land-walkers' wars. And yet, the Dark Lord's advance was a threat to the entire world, and so the Eagles flew to war. Their aid turned the tide, and the Dark Lord was defeated once and for all. The day after he fell, the first Eagle lost his mind. In the weeks since, every day the great birds have been going feral. The eagles' now ask the mammals to return the favour - namely, by seeking out Mother Cassowary, a living deity that resides in a land no Eagle is allowed to visit, and petitioning her to lift the curse.

Dryad&Hamadryad

 Dryads are the elven-looking fey guardians of single trees. Hamadryads are their jacked up versions that watch over entire forests. Both like to use charm and guile to trick folks into helping them, but the latter often bring some bigger friends into the fray as well.

Llikanthika was a Hamadryad that fell into a deep sleep several millennia ago. When she laid, her demesne was a massive, deep forest, and her subjects were legion, with dozens of dryads and other fey at her call. When she finally wakes, she finds her self in but a little park, a tiny speck of green in a massive, gray city. Some kids stumble upon her soon after, and only their childish innocence stops her hand. The kids, for their part, now bear a terrible responsibility - stopping the wraith of nature itself from being unleashed upon the city...

Not all dryads rely on charms to win allies for their cause. Drizilla, the Dealin' Dryad, is a well known card player and gambler. When playing against her, the stakes will inevitably go from gold and baubles to favours owed to the forest itself.

The emerald forest is so big that not even a hamadryad can take care of it alone. Several of them have banded together, and ritually crowned Queen Amalfia as the Archidryad. She now watches over an entire continent's worth of deep and lush forests, bonded to the Tree of Ages, the oldest living organism. While Amalfia is good-natured, if somewhat stern and impulsive, she hides a secret - unlike other hamadryads, who rule over more sinister beings of nature, Amalfia has a second form: that of a green woman, nature's wrath incarnate. If the forest is threatened, or any of her hamadryads and dryads hurt, Amalfia will fly into a rage, and her fury matches that of gods.

Drow

 Drow, you know? The evil tyrannical elves everyone has to put a twist on these days. So let's do our best in honouring that tradition in three different ways.

The drow of Mad Moon Mountains are known as a tribe consisting exclusively of madmen. Not without reason, either. The ashen elves, out of religious reasons tied to dead gods, follow a social system known as infantarchy - all of their leaders are toddlers, whose instinctive and impulsive actions supposedly follow the chaotic will of the universe. Sane men fear the drow, for they could be friendly one day, and launch an invasion based on the slightest offense the next day. However, trade with the mad elves is often conducted - as their feats of magic and technology, developed at their masters mad whims, are unparalleled. 

In the Shadowlands, beneath the Elderspire, it is the drow who come from driders, not the other way round. While they share most traits with other elven tribes, and can reproduce, the most common way a drow is created is when a drider commits something so heinous he needs to be cast out from society. A painful procedure is conducted, removing the future elf's arachnid lower body and reconstructing humanoid legs. Then comes the exile.
A former drider theologian, now a drow drifter, postulates that all elves actually have an origin similar to the drow, only the drow are singular in remaining in contact with their progenitors. He is now recruiting a team to find the butterfly-like nectarians, centipede-bodied crawlaths, mosquito-headed skeeters, and the lobster-clawed bleegers.

The drow of Bizarria are a misunderstood people. They are a very meek, selfless and good-natured people, but they managed to offend a trickster god many millennia ago. In retribution, he turned their entire language (a perfectly understandable dialect of elvish) on its head, making words mean their exact opposites. Recently, the bizzarians found a way out of their dark lands in the world below, and seeing so many races thriving on the surface, they naturally tried to make friends. Unfortunately, greetings like "Goodbye, enemies, we leave to take your loot" mean that the surface dwellers are now preparing for war - unless someone realizes that the drow never seem to deliver on their threats, instead leaving gifts and offerings.

Doppelganger

 If you love mixing in intrigue into your fantasy, eventually you're gonna have to use either one of these or some sort of Rakshasa.

The city Of Götmanland has been protected by the masked hero Bulleteman for a full decade. After a series of increasingly violent murders seems to evade his notice, a group of ex-guards take the things into their own hands, and discover two disturbing secrets. Firstly, Bulleteman is a shapeshifter, who by day takes the form of socialite Brutus Wainus. Secondly, a third "personality" has recently emerged - and unlike the first two, this one does not share memories nor intentions with the collective. Outright execution would solve the city's problem - but maybe finding a cure could be more beneficial in the long run...

The Riversdoom Rascals have been protecting the city and its interest for almost a decade. In the past few months, however, there have been more and more sightings of them engaging in extortion, robbery, and wanton violence. Hoping to put an end to this, they surrender to the city authorities - only to find out that they apparently already did exactly that several hours prior.
The two identical looking groups are put on trial - and the imposters appear to know disturbingly specific details about the group's prior adventures.

Sly the Doppelganger learned a very neat trick - he can take on the appearances of dead, bloody corpses in addition to his normal shapeshifting abilities. As a Bravi noble named Harlas Tinlas, he recruits a mercenary squad to escort him to his "summer holdings" in the city of Dunesdale. However, when the squad opens his carriage on arrival, they their employer seemingly stabbed. Unsurprisingly, they are immediately arrested - and under Dunesdale's laws, this means all their assets are to be seized. Soon enough, a clerk comes to collect - and he comes in wearing lord Tinlas's prized amulet.

Dero

 Have you ever felt a need to run a stereotypical little gray men from UFOs story in TTRPG form, but decided it was ill-fitting for your fantasy setting? Worry not, the dero are here to save you. 

A band of warriors wakes up in a dark and moist dungeon, shackled to the walls. The night before, they had celebrated a major victory against the invading forces of Niblingast, and they must have gotten very, very drunk - as all of their memories appear very hazy, and they haven't the faintest clue where they could be.
Soon enough, a group of small, milky-eyed humanoids enter the room without a word. They feed their captives some sort of fungal sludge, and one of them slips several keys in Fluki the Shade's hands, whispering in a broken form of elvish: "if you survive what is coming, seek me out. I have an interesting proposition".
After the first group is finished, another enters - this one accompanied by a cave giant, and led by a cackling, syringe wearing elder of the race.

Synn, an aasimar who can trace her lineage to the actual Sun-god Zhaa, is approached by a strange man in a long black trenchcoat. The "man" turns out to be two dero standing on top of one another. The uncanny humanoids have a proposal: If Synn is to allow them to clone her - and "care not if the clones get murdered, hurt, and/or eaten in the pursuit of enlightened science", she will be given access to their vast amounts of research on Zhaa. Such knowledge could unlock her true angelic potential, but it also hides secrets best left undisturbed...

The proud city of Arkhangast is falling into darkness. Literally. Over the last few months, entire households have started collapsing into the ground overnight, as their foundations mysteriously vanish. The city was built on top of a large complex of deep gnome tunnels - but those have long since been purged. A deeper (pun intended) investigation reveals that the tunnels have been repopulated - but not with the svirfneblin but with previously unseen humanoids, the sun-fearing dero. The paranoid little humanoids gather around a messiah whose ultimate goal is as simple as it is insane - if the dero can not rule the Overworld by inhabiting it, then they shall simply bring all of the overworlders into the blessed Underworld, even if some (or most) of them do not survive the trip.

Cockatrice

 The still valid, but somewhat underwhelming way to utilize a cockatrice, is as the poor man's basilisk, when the PCs are low level. The way to make a creature with a single special ability that stacks with itself memorable, though, is to wait for the PCs to level up, then throw heaps and heaps of these annoying creatures at them. Do note: Some of the entries below will substitute the bestiary's origin of the cockatrice for european folk tales about it.

A seer was fired from the King's court for treachery. What the man did was suggest that a rooster laying eggs in the king's royal garden is a bad omen, and that said eggs should be destroyed or at least removed. Unfortunately, the king found the occurrence to be very interesting, and has invited guests from several neighbouring lands to marvel at the eggs.
The seer, still loyal to the foolish monarch, recruits some of the visiting dignitaries entourage to destroy the eggs - unfortunately, as they arrive at the gardens in the dead of nights, several eggs appear to have already hatched, and statues apparently depicting terrified work staff and at least one pair of lovers are scattered among the rare plants.

A goblin alchemist working in the sewers of Kepesh has made a radical discovery. By submerging cockatrice eggs in specifically curated refuse from great beasts from the surrounding plains, he has managed to breed several mutated variations of the base cockatrice, ranging from those with breath weapons, to large, amphibious breeds with alligator-like jaws who draw their slowed prey into the muck to drown them. Unfortunately, as accomplished as the goblin is at breeding the beasts, he hasn't yet found efficient ways to control them - so now the already perilous undercity has grown ever more dangerous.

The harshest of the many forms of duels in the nation-state of Ciri'Tarya is the so called slowpoke duel. It is an often deadly endeavour, where participants are given a rapier, no armour, and a dose of high-proof cockatrice venom each. It is only used for the gravest of offenses, as a single good hit can often end the entire affair.
Unfortunately, the party's bard flirted with the wrong noble's fiancee, and a challenge has been issued. By law of the land, such a challenge can not be refused - but the bard's blades are as dull as his words are sharp.

Changeling Exile

Apparently, changelings are supposed to be a whole family of creatures, but we only get one so far - the exile, spawn of night or dreamthief hags.

The isolated, secluded town of Blackhornshire has long been a safe haven for changelings. For several decades, the secret was well kept, and the changelings' hag mothers had not shown up. Recently, however, there have been whispers of infiltration and betrayal - apparently, some of the changelings may have changed sides, and could be working to not only break the cover, but indeed, convert the rest of their brothers and sisters. A trusted group of investigators, who have helped the town before, are called in to sniff arround - but discretion will be of utmost importance.

Misfortunate Mariah was doomed to become an evildoer from the very beggining of her life - as a tiefling changeling, evil was bound to be woven in the fabric of her being. And yet, she chose a life of quiet devotion to the Emerald Gods, becoming a druid.
When the nearby town is struck with tragedy - in the form of a series of apparently ritual killings - the townsfolk are quick to accuse the poor woman. While the druid's small band of friends discover clue after clue, the people become increasingly violent towards Mariah, pushing her to lash out.
On the brink of her radicalization, as she is becomes increasingly open to the idea of unleashing her powers on the terrified people, it is revealed that the person behind the killings is none other but then her own night hag mother.

Stendra Sourheart is a changeling who takes resisting hags to a whole new level - having long ago slain her mother, she poses as a naive and lost soul looking for sisterhood, infiltrating covens, and then using her unique talents to slay the hags who form them.
A few months ago, she ended up finding something too much even for her - a coven consisting of exactly thirteen dreamthief hags, hiding in the Shard mountains. She is looking for a group of people good with swords but great with sneaking -as she intends to draw out the hags, while her allies ambush them.

Centipede

You know, spiders are something of an overlooked cliche these days, and other creepy crawlies just don't have as much of a squick factor to them... except for centipedes. Want to make your players skin crawl? Describe in excruciating detail the tactile sensation of a gajillion of these little buggers swarming over their character.
If you, for some reason, dislike swarms, you can also throw a big ole giant centipede at them.

Under the city of Garkhanas, in the ancient sewer system, the giant ootyugh known as the Sludgemother reigns. While she could easily get such things of her own accord, as payment for keeping the canals running and the surface world (mostly) odourles, she demands thousands of tasty centipedes be delivered to her daily - and it is the city's many squires who most often end up having to collect those.

The kobolds of Hollow Mountain Clan carefully choose where they build their tunnels - choosing terrain that attracts large colonies of giant centipedes. While these vermin aren't too dangerous encountered in the open, fighting them while crawling through the tight, low tunnels is hard even for the most experienced speleolgists. The clever kobolds, annoyingly, keep the recipe for a balm whose scent repels the creepy critters a close-guarded secret.

Killing giant centipedes is an easy enough task. Killing them, but preserving their venomous glands intact, calls for a bit more finesse. The local alchemist guild is paying a decent sum for every intact set of glands they can get their hands on.

Centaur

Hell yeah, centaurs.
The fluff in the bestiary essentially makes them a blank canvas for you to use.
I'd say that also encourages experimenting with their stat blocks (a cleric ability or two for a spiritual tribe, maybe some barbarian options for a more feral one, etc), but that's just me.


The zebrataurs of the N'Tongo expanse rarely tolerate intruders in their vast territory - but they are famously fond of creatures light on their feet. Someone who brings them a live cheetah, raptor, or any other speedy critter, can easily trade it for their life.

Centaurs are notoriously scared of crossing bodies of water - be it on boats, rafts, or any other way. Unfortunately, Old Ogord is the last centaur in the Ikothrad expanse, cut off from the world by seas on the north and west, and by a great river to the south and east. The great old centaur's last wish is to die surrounded by his kin, but he knows not of a way to achieve it. Anyone who helps him is sure to learn the many secrets of the plains his tribe once roamed, as well as earn his friendship and gratitude.

In the utilitarian and pragmatic Bo'hag empire, every species has their use. While some of them serve as scouts and rangers, most centaurs born under the imperial banner are conscripted to become harbingers - an elite, centaur-only military unit, that acts as both heavy and light cavalry. Squads of five centaurs each will first harass their foes from afar with barrages of arrows from their longbows, but then switch to lance and shield as they enter melee, fully using their speed to their advantage.
While they are, thankfully, a rare sight, harbingers are a cruel lot. Anyone not in possession of imperial identification when they meet a squad is almost certain to be attacked.

Cat

Ok, we've got another multiple-stat entry on our hand - this time, we have the leopard, lion, tiger and the mighty smilodon on our hands.

In the Bakshii savannah, big cats are a sign of prestige. 
Shamans are rarely seen without leopards trailing them, local warchiefs hunt with lionesses, and the high warchief is bonded with an old, heavily maned lion. Any travelers who may have cat companions such as jaguars or tigers are greeted with utmost respect, but those traveling with canines are seen as dirty and barbaric.

An insane druid has taken over a pack of lions, and has been using them to cut a trail of blood through the countryside. At this point, the pack has developed so much of a taste for hobbit meat that simply eliminating the druid - in the skin of a great, white lion - won't be enough to stop the slaughter.

A notorious bounty hunter known simply as "Fang" refuses to show his face, securing deals only through trusted underlings. Curiosuly, Fang never takes on deals where the target is wanted alive - going in only for the kill. The truth is, Fang is an awakened smilodon, who hates his newfound awareness, and is collecting money to reverse the spell. If he is confronted, he is quick to attack, but promising him help on his quest to revert to a simpler life might save many more lives, not the least of which are the ones of those who make the promise...