Phoenix

Of the many creatures that exist in the first Pathfinder bestiary, few are as rife with tropes as the Phoenix. The phoenix is, perhaps, the most recognizable creature in pop culture due to a particularly popular children's story about wizards, alongside the fact that it has been adapted and readapted ad infinitum across all sorts of literature and media.

Beyond how well known it is, the theme of death and rebirth that the phoenix is so readily associated with can be a powerful trope to leverage when you want to bring a little bit of extra drama to your table. What makes the Pathfinder 2nd edition Phoenix stand out? First off, it's gargantuan, making this iteration of the mythical beast literally larger than an elephant.

The phoenix as the book presents is both physically and magically powerful, accentuated by its very high level in comparison to other classically mythical creatures such as the unicorn or the pegasus. Also, unlike other depictions, the phoenix is sapient and can speak a slew of other languages.

There are many different reasons you may want to use a phoenix. As a rare creature, consider what impact a phoenix might have on the environment it inhabits. An enormous, good-aligned, fire-breathing beast could give many dragons a run for its money.

Lastly, I recommend that if you think there is sufficient reason for it to reflavor the phoenix to a different element or damage type. A frost phoenix that lords over a mountain range or a lightning phoenix that heralds a coming storm can make for a compelling and unique version that is unique to your setting.

- Reece

Hook 1 (Max) - Light My Fire

Every seventy-seven years, a fiery mote of magma erupts from the ground, heralding the arrival of a phoenix into the world. The birth of these ferocious creatures is a rare occurrence and a grand event at that. For a week the egg sits in its place, impervious to all magic, burning anyone who gets too close. After some time, a blinding flame bursts forth and envelops everything in a fifty-mile radius, proceeding to burn for months on end.

This, understandably, is not lenient to any creature that is not made of fire actually living a life, so there are precautions taken whenever magi report the emergence of a phoenix egg in the wild.

The trouble is, one of these rocks surfaced beneath the imperial capital and needs to be transported somewhere else before it hatches. Not only must this be done with extreme care, but the job must also be performed without the populace becoming aware of it, lest it causes a panic.

Hook 2 (TJ)- The Festival of Pigmented Plumes

During Fairsun In Tulgolthi lands, you can catch iridescent light shows as the locals celebrate the Festival of Pigmented Plumes. The storytellers all have their own spin on the story of what began this fireworks festival. Some say the adversary was a demon king seeking to corrupt the eggs of the phoenix. Others say it was a draconic empress, bent on removing any opposition to her throne. All agree that the phoenix was very clever and insisted on a fight in familiar terrain. 

In the end, the potent adversary slew the flaming bird, though the clever phoenix was not so easily defeated. As the phoenix's life force slipped away, it burst into one last eruption of flame, igniting the vast stores of flammable powder hidden beneath its nesting materials. This hidden arsenal of explosives served a dual purpose of removing her adversary from existence as well as providing the last catalytic heat needed to hatch her clutch. 

The legend goes on to say that early Tulgolthi people traveled to investigate the massive explosion where they found the phoenix reborn anew, taking care of her young. She imparted to them the news that their oppressor was dead and instructed them on the specifics of the compounds she used to set her trap. Tulgolthi celebrations and warfare have used gunpowder and light shows as a centerpiece on both fronts ever since.

Hook 3 (Reece) - Furies and Fugitives

Kavahar is a strange world full of powerful and strange beasts. Denizens of the elemental planes warn planar travelers not to wander too close to its outskirts as the powers within are extraordinarily dangerous, and escaping off of the world is exceedingly difficult.

On Kavahar, known to outsiders as The Land of Four Furies, four great avian beasts control the very essence of the land. The Fire Phoenix Aan, the Greater Thunderbird Bijal, the Frost Phoenix Thand, and the Greater Tidehawk Gahar. Each of the four furies are so vast and powerful, being anywhere in their vicinity is dangerous to mortals. The constant migrations of the four can shape the land and shift leylines drastically, creating an ever-shifting ecology of chaos.

While sentient elementals are quick to warn travelers of the dangers on Kavahar, they are also incapable of traveling there themselves without risking their own lives, as traveling near one of the four furies can instantly destroy any planar creature caught within the wingbeat-wind of the wrong fury.

This is all particularly unfortunate given that a fugitive of the Brass Kingdom in the Plane of Fire is hiding on Kavahar, out of reach from any of the Elemental Lords. Due to the difficulties inherent in the job, the bounty to retrieve this criminal is exceedingly high. Any mortals willing to risk the danger could make out quite well, assuming they survive...

Pegasus

Few creatures are quite as recognizable as the Pegasus—a staple mythical creature that is fitting in any mythical fantasy setting. Though they are somewhat cliche, there are many reasons to consider using one. Beyond mounting an angel of some kind on its back—something you definitely should do at least once—this beast is simple and relatively low-level given that we often associate the creatures with powerful angels and/or spellcasters.

While there are not many occasions that one would need to fight a pegasus, thinking about where you may find these creatures and how they may be seen in your setting can be a good worldbuilding exercise. As an added bonus, as a level 3 creature, it is entirely reasonable that your players could gain the (temporary) aid of some pegasi to get somewhere quickly and efficiently! A sufficient Diplomacy or Nature check could convince a pegasus to assist a party of adventurers—assuming they have good intentions that is.

- Reece

Hook 1 (Nemanja) - Pegasus Pariah

For almost a thousand years the head monks of the Saltspire monastery and the lead mares of the Flutterhoof herd of pegasi have had an agreement: prospective champions of the monastery would, as a part of their final test, need to demonstrate athletic excellence by jumping onto a pegasus in full flight.

For their part, the pegasi agreed to this as their ideals were quite close to those of the monks' order, and to even become a candidate for a champion, one would need to show extreme strength of both body and character.

This recently changed, however, with the rise of a fiend-tainted new head mare, who now tries to recruit the monks into her infernal schemes...

Hook 2 (Max) - Mighty Magical Mishap: A Lesson in the Misuse of Transmutation

Grand Imperial Academy of Magic - Dean's Office. Early morning.

"Alright, young mister, give me a single reason why I shouldn't turn you into the ugliest toad this world has ever seen this instant." The pale young man in front of the ancient wizard merely gulps, trembling with sweat running down his face, half from fear and half from the raging hangover. "The merchant Branibor is furious—that was his most prized racing horse, you know. He's out for blood, lad! Your blood, might I add!" 

The old man sighs heavily, running a palm across his face. "And, as if this wasn't enough, you go and sneak into the prince's gardens! The prince! It truly is a marvel how you did not accidentally turn into a huff of cloud or a table plant, boy." The dean takes a sip from his chalice, usually filled with wine, though today's occasion called for something stronger. "But no, you couldn't just stop at stealing precious animals, no, you had to show off. The prince really loved that eagle, you know. He will not be pleased." Silence befalls the room. "Luckily, I've managed to buy you some time. You can thank me later. You have a week to retrieve both the horse and the bird."

"B-but, they're..."

"Oh, I know. I didn't say it was going to be easy, lad." He takes another solid swig from the cup. "I'd get moving if I were you, though. I heard the beast flew off into the sunset—you'll need to be quick if you want to catch up."

Hook 3 (Reece) - Stylin' Stallion

Treven had seen a lot of strange things in his life, having spent the entirety of it in The Verdant Isles. The old forests on the isle were strange, and fey creatures were known to play tricks upon foolish farmboys and loggers for a laugh. In Pinefall, his tiny home village, it was a fact of life that the local spirits would play tricks upon unsuspecting villagers. Fortunately, these tricks were rarely dangerous and, for the most part, were simply inconveniences. Having lived through thirty summers, this was the last problem he expected to solve.

There, in his neighbor Reddy Tem's horse pen was a massive, winged horse-thing that was harassing the only other stallion in the pen; Steelshod was not particularly interested in contending with the winged rival who was both larger and had the advantage of flight. They'd spent near an hour trying to decide on a course of action after trying to shoo the thing off, nearly getting kicked in the head in the process. The beast was after Reddy's mares and there wasn't much either of them could do about it.

"Call the council together," Treven said, crossing his arms and frowning at the thing. "Perhaps some of the village kids are looking to prove themselves."

Owlbear

The Owlbear is indeed another fantasy gaming staple tracing its lineage back to very early versions of the game. Pathfinder 2e presents us a slightly more interesting version of the creature, as it has some special abilities to set it apart from your standard bear-affair. The bestiary itself provides a compelling variant owlbear, one that can glide a great distance almost silently to descend on prey. 

Interesting and powerful abilities aside, I think the owlbear (and other monstrous creatures like it) reminds us that the fantastical is in some ways mundane—at least in the context of the game. The owlbear is an Avatar: The Last Airbender-like hybrid animal, but is not a magical creature and does not have any supernatural abilities; it's intimidating and brutally violent with prey. Consider how an owlbear's habits and behaviors might differ from that of both a bear and an owl, and how both of those things might influence said creature. Should you be lacking in understanding, I can think of a certain Paizo editor that can tell you all about bear behavior.

At level four, any encounter with an owlbear will be an early endeavor. As animals (not ravenous beasts) consider how a nature-attuned PC like a druid or ranger may be able to circumvent a combat with such a creature entirely. Such an occurrence can provide an interesting character moment and remind the players that there is more than one way to play PF2 than just beating everything you run into to death.

- Reece

Hook 1 (Nemanja) - Barnaby The Barn

When the hunters heard of the "barn-like owlbear" from the local populace speaking in broken common, they expected to find a barn-owl-featured owlbear. Not a barn-sized, horned-owl-featured one. Unfortunately, they are duty-bound not to back away from the fight—and even if they weren't, the local villages surely can't hope to stand against something like this.

Hook 2 (Max) - The Hoot

Niners is a peaceful town, all things considered. Do your job, don't get into any trouble with the law, and you'll do fine. Most of all, never, under any circumstances, go into the woods surrounding it after nightfall.

There is a story in the Niners. People say that should you venture into the dark forest after the sun goes down, you will face a horror that will turn your blood to ice. No one has ever seen in it, only the aftermath of its rage, a trail of bodies disfigured beyond recognition as if by the claws of a giant beast, many of the organs missing entirely.

The people of Niners know when the beast finds its next victim—a loud hoot, as if that of an owl, can be heard over the town. Without fail, every time it sounds, a new body is found in the wood.

So take heed, lest you want to fall prey to the terror stalking the night.

Hook 3 (Reece) - Tangle in Titansfield

The Titansfield Players are a circus that has moved away, at least as much as possible, from the use of animals during their shows. Magic illusions and druids capable of changing their own forms makes performances much easier and—in Thelia's estimation—more ethical. The petting zoo has remained, as the children frequent it in between the major shows. Goats cheese and wool also help subsidize some of the operating costs of the traveling circus.

At a stop outside a triumvirate of small villages, a local farmer brings an enormous egg to the Circusmaster, leaving her to decide what exactly to do with it. When one of the elderly griffons takes to brooding the egg, it hatches not long after arrival, revealing it to be an owlbear cubling. This in and of itself wouldn't be a problem. Unfortunately, the owlbear broodmother has come looking for its spawn in the middle of the biggest show for this area, when all the strongest and most capable performers are preoccupied and unaware...

Otyugh

Otyughs are the quintessential sewer-crawl monsters, ones that have been with us since the very first publications of the world's oldest roleplaying game. They have tentacles, look weird, and eat garbage, which makes them the perfect sewer encounter, right?

Wrong. I mean, you can use them thusly, and with their slew of garbage and tentacle-related activities it won't be an uninteresting encounter either, but come on. Take another look at the stat block and fluff text and come back. The otyugh might look odd and feed on literal excrement, but it is at an almost humanoid level of intelligence. Otyughs have something resembling a society. Otyughs are true neutral, and while decidedly alien they might be willing to reason with you. So I beg you, be creative and don't waste the waste eaters on forgettable encounters.

- Nemanja

Hook 1 (Max) - Fecal Decal

The duchy of Bayon, glorious golden wheat upon its emblem, is known for its abundance of food, which it exports to all corners of the land. That allowed all of its towns to grow into cities, massive in their scale. With this, certain needs arose, followed by certain problems.

Every bigger town in the area boasts a vast canal system, is typically accompanied by a giant heap of waste produced by its populace and stinks like a disaster.

Coincidentally, when the number of cities increased, the number of crops spoiling did as well—exponentially. The duke is looking for an answer, unaware that it lies directly beneath his grand cities.

Hook 2  (Nemanja) - The Goopy Guildmaster

In the Grand City of Al'Balaar, guilds are organized in a hierarchical manner, with lesser guilds reporting to those more powerful in an almost feudal manner.

To a foreigner, it could be odd that the thieves guild, assassins guild, the guild of lawyers, and other such guilds that operate outside the confine of the law, all report to the Sewersmith guild. Stranger still, it might seem that the guild is made up entirely of members of two less than popular groups; the field operatives are mostly goblins, whereas the top of the hierarchy is ruled by otyughs. The ironically named Underdoge—the ancient, alchemically-empowered Otyugh guildmaster—claims to have given his blessing to the rise of the last seven doges of the "Upper city".

After a career of adventuring, a group of wizards wishes to retire, forming a guild of illusionists to pass on their knowledge. Soon enough, they are approached by a goblin with a tentacle broch inviting them to discuss "matters of the flow of information" with his masters in the sewers...

Hook 3 (Reece) - Tower of Terror

The seat of power for the Relendish Republic within the capital is a point of consternation for many. After a brief and bloody conflict with the remaining royals that wished to hold onto power in Reylar's Rest, the question of what to do with The Steel Palace was a curious problem. An imposing monstrosity made entirely of steel that reached toward the sky, the building had been long ago created by the progenitor of the Steel Kingdom, and the magic that was sewn throughout the walls and into its foundation made it nearly impossible to destroy.

The Council of Guilds instead opted for turning the building into a series of offices for guild leaders as well as a place to house foreign diplomats. While over thirty years have passed since The Revolution, not everything about the building is fully understood, as its original inhabitants have been long since vacated, alongside their secrets.

When the Govenor of a nearby island-state is found dead, seemingly of a heart attack, and partially eaten inside of one of the restrooms, it spawns a controversy. As a new member of the Royal Navy's investigation unit, you are sent to find what happened, and if the building is a danger to others. It wouldn't be such a bad job if it weren't for the smell...

Nilith

The Nillith is a pretty interesting creature that manages to add new flavour to an old and established concept in TTRPGs: the stalking nightmare.

Several bits set nilliths apart. First, while your initial instinct might be to throw them in the melee, their spell list isn't trivial as it suits their proposed hit-and-run tactics quite well—especially the nasty at-will invisibility.

Second, while they have strong ties to the Astral/Dreaming plane, they are still beings of the mortal realms—this means they must somehow figure in local ecologies. Thirdly, there's the implication that Nilliths are but mere mouthpieces connected to beings beyond most mortals' capacity to fathom...

- Nemanja

Hook 1 (Nemanja) - The Signal of The One

After years of fighting off beings from the Hidden City Of Leng, a wizard has found a way to intercept the connection between a nillith and its mystical master. At first, all went well; the wizard used the accursed being to essentially be in two places at once, using the nillith's body for menial, physical tasks, while delving yet ever deeper into studies of what lies beyond the Veil. Recently, his sanity seems to have slipped. While no blood has been spilled, the nillith has been seen frothing at the mouth and staring at odd-shaped clouds in the dead of night, whereas the wizard has started drawing odd runes on the city walls, claiming to herald the arrival of "The One Who Sees Through Us All". As the madness that took him looms ever closer to an escalation, the wizard's old compatriots are called in to investigate.

Hook 2 (Reece) - The Nilith Number

Nary a knight knows not the night. Nary they nap now or none. Know none of knights that knock or nest upon that nightmare road—none that nab naps near the Knobwood. There knows the knight that the nightmare rests. There knows the knight that no knight might nick the knave, as no knave naps in the knob—only nightmares therein take flight. 

- Bardic song of the Knobwood, said to be haunted by a beast that feeds upon noble knights.

Hook 3 (TJ) - Weary of the Whisperwood

A ring of houses surrounds the town in the middle of The Whisperwood. These houses—though they seem to be abandoned—were never inhabited, and no one shall ever live there. This ring of houses serves as decoys for the foul spirits of the Whisperwood who seek to corrupt the dreams of those who rest close to its borders. In a similar insulatory fashion, the people who call the Whisperwood home do all their business strictly by daylight, leaving plenty of buffer to get home before the sun goes down. When a hunting accident delays the main fighting force of the town, the remaining locals must make a hard decision: brave the woods, or leave them to their demise.

Nightmare

So, the Nightmare. The Bestiary doesn't provide much info on what exactly it is beyond listing it as both a fiend and a beast in addition to saying that it might be used as a steed for evil creatures. It boasts some interesting abilities, like exhaling poisonous smoke and being able to plane shift along with its rider. Even then, I find it a little underwhelming—so let's go on a little bit of a deep dive.

The word itself is a combination of "night" and the Old English "mære," the latter meaning incubus. Its variations appear in other languages, like Swedish, Old Norse, Danish, Norwegian, and even Polish ("mara" meaning a hallucination or a haunting dream,—here's your fun fact of the day). We all are aware of what a nightmare is. A bad, bad dream. It is kind of ironic then that the creature named after it has nothing to do with dreams.

Am I trying to convince you to attack your party in their sleep with a flaming horse? Yes. No, all I'm saying is that you can make the monster a little more interesting.

- Max

Hook 1 (Max) - A Mare So Very Fair

"That horse is evil, I tell you." Both servants look to the black steed that was gifted to their liege by a mysterious woman not so long ago. The animal bears its teeth and glares at them with obvious and uncontained hatred. "Fastest beast I've ever seen, true, but there's something wrong with it, I swear by my mother's grave." The older of the two men spits. "Makes me sick just being near it."

"I hear it killed old man Tanner" the boy exclaims. "Kicked him square in the face it did." A shiver runs down his spine. "Wish the lord would be rid of it, to be honest." The horse lets out a fume through its nostrils as if it can understand.

"Doubt it'll happen, lad." The old man sighs a heavy sigh and takes up his tools. "Well, best get it over with. Keep it still, will you?"

Hook 2 (TJ) - Dreamrider

The past three nights, Hinli dreamt. This was not unusual. She imagined that most nights she dreamt, but somewhere in the bliss of sleep she didn't remember the dreams when she woke up. These dreams, however, she remembered—at least pieces of them. What she did remember of them was not pleasant. Primarily, her recollection of these dreams consisted of one major feature: the thundering of hooves right before she woke up. There was one unmistakable and unsettling fact about these cacophonous hoofbeats. Every night, they got louder.

Hook 3 (Reece) - Cult of the Dreaded Steed

"It galloped through the streets, features alight! The fires! The blood! What wondrous destruction it showed me! I will breathe in the smoke of its essence and await! Behold! The Midnight Steed! The Bringer of Fires! You may delight in his majesty and revere his presence! BE BLESSED BY HIS DREADED RIDE! TASTE OF THE LICKING FLAME AND STAY FAST FOR THE END IS NIGH."

- Collected from the ravings of a beggar two nights before the last sighting. I worry this cult you speak of is gaining more attention than we originally thought.

Night Hag

As discussed previously when we went over the Green Hag, the Night Hag is brimming with narrative possibilities. What sets this sagacious sister from her counterparts is the very straightforward night-themed abilities. Between the hag's very powerful set of occult spells, and the added strangeness that is Dream Haunting, there are quite a few ways you can use a night hag in your game. 

I don't think the opportunity will often be presented, but I think any reason you can conceive of that allows the use of Dream Haunting is a good one—particularly if your players are somewhere where they aren't supposed to be. A hag haunting your dreams as you attempt to get to the heart of an ancient and malevolent forest is both pulpy and fun to play though—lean into these themes as much or as little as needed.

Presenting an opportunity to potentially steal a night hag's heartstone could be a very interesting narrative option as well. Instead of needing to outright kill a night hag, bargaining with the hag from a place of power because you stole her heartstone could provide compelling narrative options as well.

This does bring us to the final narrative theme for the night hag—soul bargaining. Being both thieves and merchants of mortal souls can be a very compelling reason to interact with a night hag without killing her. In the event that you cannot bring back a friend from the other side, a visit to a night hag could yield interesting results and provide vitally useful information...

- Reece

Hook 1 (Max) - Congregation of Dreams

The wife of the late baron now rules his fief with an iron fist. Rumor has it he met her on the road and was immediately enamored with her, marrying her just a few days after their first encounter. Those who've seen her weave great tales of her beauty, unable to forget the sight of her fair countenance.

Unfortunately, it is not just the baroness' tyrannical rule that ails the people—many in the demesne are plagued by nightmares that grow worse and worse by the day, yet the lady refuses to acknowledge anything strange happening—at least until recently. A week or so back, a group of women arrived in the keep, apparently old acquaintances of the lady. They now all sit at the top of the castle's tower performing what they claim is a "sacred ritual to purge the evil from the land."

They no doubt speak the truth.

Hook 2 (Nemanja) - The Dreaming Dragon

Caragyoz the Cruel is an ancient dragon that has made a name for himself over several realms of existence—he is widely considered to be the finest procurer and merchant of souls in the multiverse. It just so happens that, shortly before going for his bimillennial hundred-year nap, the dragon procured the soul of a Paladin's father, unjustly taken.

The Paladin finds herself with an unlikely ally when a night hag approaches her, proposing a temporary alliance to take down Caragyoz. While the dragon is protected on all sides by legions of wyvern-riding acolytes in the material plane, his sleep makes him accessible through the Dreaming—a realm that the hag has intimate knowledge of and power over. The hag, whose kind once ruled the soul-trading market, claims to simply wish to end Caragyoz's monopoly—though she refuses to make guarantees for any soul other than the Paladin's father's...

Hook 3 (Reece) - Rider of the Night

Rider on the midnight wind

would thee show me how thee sinned?

Rider of the darkest way

bring thy shadows here to stay

Tread the market, walk the path

doth thou know the sin of wrath

Trader on the corner still

dost thou have the need to kill?

Hast thee seen the milky eye?

Hast thou found the need to lie?

Come thee crone and draw mine sigh

and draw upon thine evil eye

Know thy want and know thy need

for when thou tastes the sin of greed

thou plow the dirt and plant the seed

and call the grave with mighty speed

Shadows dance and shadows sing

Among the nobles and the king

Pride upon thy bloody ring

draws thy soul upon a string

Rider in the market square

find the barter, prices fair

for the lost, say a prayer

and for the rider, gift a glare

- Collected from a children's rhyme ten leagues outside of the city. Were it not for other factors we would find this insignificant, though given present circumstances it is particularly alarming.

Naunet

ANOTHER OUTSIDER YOU SAY? Well, I'm not necessarily one to beef with creatures literally spawned from the entropic forces of chaos, and the Naunet is perhaps a quintessential example of what a force entropy can be. The bestiary notes that this mean mugged malefactor of the Maelstrom can often be found as a scout or a rank-and-file soldier in the armies of the Proteans—though I am somewhat dubious of how exactly such an army would operate.

I would say that the contradictory nature of being a soldier—a traditionally structured existence—in addition to being the spawn of pure chaos is baked into the substantial statblock of the naunet. There are three things particularly of note related to this theme:

• Protean Anatomy - An extremely versatile passive ability that gives shifting resistances to acid, electricity, and sonic damage in addition to the more unsettling ability to grow new sensory organs in order to overcome the blinded and deafened conditions
• At will Change Shape that allows for melding into all sorts of environments, both natural and urban
• Adaptive Strike, something that is certainly not going to come up very often unless you're like me and inflict your players with lycanthropy

The intricacies of the entire set of abilities and stats are too much to get into here, though I think the relative complexity of the naunet tells us a couple things—Proteans are NOT messing around and, beyond that, their base level soldiers could be a boss level threat to a lower level party. As a level seven creature, it's got an impressive set of abilities—access to narrative options like Change Shape in addition to a solid suite of spellcasting can really make the Naunet both compelling to use as well as dangerous.

Whatever the occasion, it may be worth considering how you want to utilize Proteans and Monitors in your setting, assuming you aren't running in Golarion—these dastardly delinquents can pack a punch and rain chaos on unsuspecting players, only to jump away with a 5th-level dimensional door in order to continue harassing away as needed.

- Reece

Hook 1 (Max) - Big Fish to Fry

Ships and crews have been disappearing on the Grey Ocean without a trace. A single vessel made its way to port—a galleon by the name of Fair Wind. Its deck was the sight of a massacre no doubt, though there were no bodies left in the destruction. A single survivor hid in the cargo hold, clinging tenuously to life, their eyes burnt away. The army took them in to learn what became of the rest of the crew.

"Maidens fair stranded on a vessel dead, they were," they mutter, "hoisted them up we did, 'help them we must', we said." Empty eye sockets stare into the distance. "Weren't no maidens. Sea devils they were, I tell you. Giant sea serpents, the lot of them. They roared and bit and gnawed and spit, and their putrid breath turned men to ash and bone. Good men of the sea all dead and gone. They be heralds, they bring their words and the depths speak through their forked tounges. The sea is theirs, and theirs alone—soon our land shall be forlorn."

The official statement notes the sailor was later found dead in his cell by his own hand.

Hook 2 (Nemanja) - Unravelling Unguent

A retired ranger brings his old team back for one last job together.

A long time ago, they slighted a lowly cleric in service of the gods of Order—said cleric has since risen high in the clergy and he is not one for forgiveness. When the ranger welcomed his firstborn daughter, the cleric appeared from nowhere and put a Curse of Ticking Time on her. This meant that one day—one that will presumably come far too soon—she will pass into the realm of the dead with no warning whatsoever.

The only power that can counter the magic of Order is that of the chaos-delvers, and the party now must seek aid from one of the Chaoswyrms, the Undoers, the foot-soldiers of The Unravelling that they once fought so valiantly against. Of course, enlisting the aid of such a power is never free, but the price might not be obvious from the start...

Hook 3 (Reece) - Chaos Confluence

During the season of Storms many dangers are present along the southern coasts. While the lightning, wind, and rain are all as dangerous as they always would be during any storm, the tide of chaos that accompanies the Greatstorms is more dangerous still. Should you not have access to a Stormcaller or a device with which you can rebuff the storms, the creatures of chaos will scour you and yours from the land.

A strange economy has risen from this longstanding season of chaos—populated areas that are affected by the worst of the tides employ seasonal Chaoswardens to defend their homes. Chaoswardens are highly trained in fighting all manner of Protean nightmares in defense of mankind. The homesteaders have grown used to the assistance of other more stable areas, perhaps to their detriment. This year, when the first Greatstorm arrives much earlier than expected, the Chaoswardens are cut off from their yearly migrations to the outershores. Now, each town and village along the Shifting Coast must fend for itself...

Mukradi

There's not much to say when it comes to the Mukradi as far as narrative hooks are concerned. The beast is quite interesting mechanically and is fearsome, even among other level 15 creatures. When running a mukradi, be sure to pay special attention to and use as needed the different breath attacks to make the creature more threatening. Assuming you decide to use one in your game, you may as well make it sufficiently threatening to the players—you're probably not going to throw one at the party on a whim.

Beyond the danger a mukradi presents, they are somewhat of a blank slate for you to worldbuild around. The bestiary doesn't provide a lot of guidance, and the Beast trait simply indicates it is natural to some degree, though you might expect something like the mukradi to be an aberration of some kind. Consider how something so singularly dangerous and violent could shape the world you create, and what it might mean for the people that live in close proximity to such a terrible creature.

- Reece

Hook 1 (TJ) - Fiends of the Chasms

The nomads of the Farchasms have exclusive access to a rare and powerful source of energy. Traders come far and wide to bid for the strange pulsating energy sources the nomads offer up. Competing peoples and companies have tried to find the secret source of these potent relics, though any that venture too far into the Farchasms are quickly met with resistance. The mukradi that slither between these massive cracks in the earth are a force to be reckoned with.

Unbeknownst to these would-be energy poachers, the very entities that defend the Farchasms are what they seek. The monstrous tricephalic centipedes breathe a harmful array of energies from their mouths at any that come close. If one of the poaching groups were able to actually slay a mukradi and take the time to butcher and dress the beast, they would find that what the nomads peddle as an energy source is actually a thoracic organ unique to the mukradi. The additional advantage that the nomads have over the poachers, however, is knowledge of the pupation cycle of the mukradi, which allows much easier access to fell these terrifying creatures.

Hook 2 (Nemanja) - Flesh of the Gods

The deepest, most unreachable and inhospitable part of the Ashen Lands—the realm souls pass to after parting the land of the living—is the Sea Of Those Forgotten.

There, corpses of gods and deities who died—most usually from having no more followers—endlessly float in space, their vast bodies colliding and ricocheting in complete silence.

Feasting upon the flesh of those titans are strange, three-headed centipede-like critters. Although these mukradi are themselves of massive size, they are dwarfed by the matter they subside on.

While they appear perfectly docile when viewed from afar, they jealously guard their source of food and are absolutely prepared to throw their lives away for it—a fact a priest looking to revive an ancient cult and his acolytes are just about to find out...

Hook 3 (Reece) - The Westward Valley

The Long Valley has for many years been the furthest west any mortal can travel. Many expeditions have tried to travel west, hearing tell of vast riches beyond it, but the Valley is not a challenge of pure endurance, but one of strength and wit as well. The further one walks through the valley, the more dangerous the area becomes. All manner of savage beasts and hostile peoples in the valley will do anything possible to stop travelers from making their way through.

One of the most dangerous parts of the path is The Pit, an infamous hole that spans the width of the valley with a drop that descends so far down it's impossible to see the bottom. That alone could be manageable if it weren't also crawling with Mukradis...

Mu Spore

A Mu Spore is one of those kinds of monsters that every fantasy RPG has to have—an apocalypse engine. The odd thing about this one, though, is that it isn't (by default, feel free to spice that up!) a creation of the evil gods, an entity prophesized to end the world, nor a malignant alien. Indeed, the mu spore is just a big, flying, hyper-intelligent mushroom. It isn't even evil, as the book puts it at CN, although I wouldn't exactly bet on it being particularly cooperative.

Its genius-level intellect and its absurd (50 ft by 50 ft—that's ten grid spaces each way for all you grid players out there) size mean it will often be revered as a deity by cultures whose homelands it uses as a feeding ground.

But the one thing that gets me going as a GM reading it is that it is a spore. What are spores, exactly? In layman's terms, they're mushroom seeds. Think about what could be born of a genius mushroom the size of a cathedral that ends civilizations before (or for) breakfast. Then make that your next big baddie.

- Nemanja

Hook 1 (Max) - Shroomhaven

Recently, the Firn Peaks became a no-go zone, as multiple big groups of people vanished there without a trace. A few came back, but different than before, acting as if their hometowns were completely alien to them.

There are some people, however, who feel a deep, almost primal urge to go into the mountains. A strange, otherworldly voice compels them to seek out a vast cavern hidden beneath the peaks. And so they all leave in the dark of the night, only to return a couple of weeks later.

Oddly enough, every single one of them was an enthusiast of mushroom hunting.

They all act differently, too. Somewhat apathetic, but at the same time taking in their surroundings very carefully. Everyone assumes they've taken part in some enlightening experience. Technically, you could say that.

For they are now emissaries of an alien intellect that has been taking refuge within the Firn Peaks, set on revenge for generations of its brethren being used as cuisine on its distant homeworld. Every person that came back from its new domain is a ticking timebomb, a fungus slowly replacing their nervous system, waiting to explode in a spore cloud infecting even more victims. Soon, it will begin.

Hook 2 (TJ) - Verdant Valor

The Knights of the Final Green have a solemn duty. These intergalactic verdant vagrants travel the cosmos in search of apocalyptic fungal growths. While the plant nature of these leshy knights protects them from the mu spores, the enormous vacuous spores will still consume these minuscule warriors. The number of planets the Final Green has found that contain floral brethren is disappointingly small, and their numbers are dwindling after millennia of hunting down their prolific, constantly propagating foe. Unfortunately, they've found the biggest infestation yet, and the chances of being wiped out entirely is nagging at the back of every knight's mind.

Hook 3 (Nemanja) - The Bloated God

Fifty years ago, what appeared to be a meteor landed in Blazavayka lake.

Five years later, what would later become known as The Bloated God rose to the surface, begging for food.

Ever since that fateful day, the deity has risen to the surface every five to ten years and the people of the surrounding villages have been bringing it sacrifices—mostly in the form of cattle and poultry to feed it. The godling, for its part, makes it largely worth it. It tells the villagers of how the seasons will change, the locations of hidden sources of water and fertile land, and warns them of passing bands of bandits and deserters. Something changed this year, though. The alchemist's son is rumoured to have fed another human—a young lass that rejected his advances—to the god and apparently awoke something within it.

The deity now speaks of dark magicks, tides of blood rising to sweep up the mammalian empires, and the Holy City of Leng. Now, the villagers find themselves unable to stop listening to its mad ravings.

Morrigna

Making a world from scratch can be difficult, as there's a lot to consider when making your own world. Nations, conflicts, gods, devils, planes. You mean to tell me I have to figure out what happens to souls too? Man.

Luckily, the psychopomps make that easy. Any group that could conceivably include the likes of Anubis, Charon, Hermes, and Jesus is a group that I'm interested in. The Morrigna, with its spider motifs, easily brings to mind ideas of the threads of life or fate and the passive observer that is death. I'm not sure how I feel about it drawing so heavily on spiders, given the spider's propensity to, uh, trap insects in webs and eat them at their leisure. Probably shouldn't try too hard to draw parallels to souls.

Ultimately, I think the morrigna is best used at high levels when your party has easy access to death-avoiding magics. Bring a soul back from the depths of wherever souls are kept one too many times and you'll have a social (and maybe combat) encounter with a morrigna on your hands. With its ability to change its shape into an animal, you could have it tail the party for quite some time, maybe periodically reappearing after each revival attempt.

What does happen to souls in your setting? Maybe the morrigna fits into the grand scheme of your "soul plane." Just, maybe check with your players about arachnophobia first.

- TJ

Hook 1 (Max) - What is Dead Should Stay Dead

The last battle was particularly trying and one or more of the party fell. Luckily, one of them could bring the dead back. Or, as they are about to find, unfortunately.

It begins innocently enough—they keep finding spiders and webs among their belongings. Then, they start getting a repeated message in their dreams, stating simply "What is dead should stay dead."

Exactly seven days after the resurrection, when the person behind the act is alone (they are bound to be at some point), a beautiful woman in silk robes emerges from the shadows, accompanied by a multitude of spiders, a hint of a predatory smirk across her lips. As the words from their dreams play in the victim's mind "What is dead should stay dead..." she finishes "...but for now, I'll take you instead."

Hook 2 (TJ) - Eight Eyes

Eight Eyes Always Watching
Hanging By A Thread

Eight Eyes Always Watching
Looking Where You Tread

Eight Eyes Always Watching
For You Tears Are Shed

Eight Eyes Always Watching
A Beacon For The Dead

- A dirge performed when interring a member of the Eightfold Oclijian Sect, year unknown

Hook 3 (Reece) - Binder of Heart and Soul

Perrinalsus, The Watcher With Many Eyes, was one of four remaining Soulbinders to remain on their dying world. Even as the forces of chaos gripped the planet, her charge was to remain the same as it always had—maintain the natural order of death in the last breaths of a dying world. While others of her kind were encouraged to not become attached to those they would have to guide into The River of Souls, she had grown fond of a powerful sorceress who was attempting to stem the tide of destruction there. After working together many years before against a common foe, they had become an odd pair of friends who would carry conversations late into the night about the nature of death and the universe.

Perrinalsus was secretly rooting for her friend even though she knew the forces arrayed against her and her mortal compatriots would ultimately be their doom. Or so she thought.

When the sorceress finds a way to call upon fallen souls and bind them to new powerful machine bodies called Soul Golems designed to fight against the powers of destruction arrayed against mankind, Perrinalsus is left with a choice: Does she hunt down her friend of many years and fulfill her duty, or does she shirk her responsibility—and perhaps her very nature—for the love of a mortal?

Mimic

 I'd say Mimics exist in the lower echelons of likeability with other creatures such as Rust Monsters, mainly due to them being used as a very adversarial tool along the lines of "ha, gotcha!" by many GMs. Of course, given its toolset, it is of no surprise to anyone that the mimic is typically deployed more so like a trap than an actual creature.

That is the most obvious and easy approach. But we are not here for the obvious and easy, are we? RAW, the mimic can only appear as a medium object—but it can be any object. Despite being portrayed as pretty much mindless, mimics do possess a considerable amount of intelligence (score of a 10 is higher than a lot of animals and beasts in the book), so what's to say they shouldn't use it? And why couldn't a particularly tricky one get very big and pretend it's, say, a house?

- Max

Hook 1 (Max) - Galvanni's Gift

An announcer in fine robes shouts in the middle of the town square.

“Master Galvanni’s magnificent adaptable armor! Get yours today, don’t wait! It can do anything you need! Change its size to fit your chiseled physique, cover your nostrils from poisonous fumes, shift its color to blend into surroundings, create a nifty little backpack should the need arise and so, so much more! Visit Galvanni’s workshop to set up a visit today! You won’t regret it!”

*You might regret it.*

Hook 2 (Nemanja) - An Unpleasant Guest

G̶͕̜͕̲̱͍̘̈͐̄̇͘͜l̶̡͌̾̑̔̉͂̌̚͝ų̴̻̖̗͖̤͓̒͐̈́͝g̶̢̮̯͍͇̫͊̃̀̓̎́̈͜͝g̷̡̠̠̗̮̪̎͑̑͋̊͛̀̀͜ä̷̞̯̹́́͂̊͐̓͛̕͘͘j̸̛͈̖̙̮̑̇̍͛̈a̶̡͍̮̠̦̻̭͍̱͐͋̽b̴̗͎̣̞͚͊͆́͌̒̑̏͆̉͜͝į̶̧̲̪̰̯̗̮̈́̒̍͛͒̎͆̀̋̍g̶̢̛̟̬̜̗̪͇̍̑ǧ̶͚̀̈́̏͠ is a mimic who really, really likes traveling.

                        To that end, he has perfected a very uncommon "hunting" strategy—his preferred disguise is that of a single golden coin. He will often travel for a while in the possession of an adventurer or wanderer until eventually revealing his true form, giving his earnest and nuanced review of locations visited before finally consuming his increasingly confused victim.

Hook 3 (TJ) - The Fence

When it comes to disposing of ill-gotten goods in Millstone, the underground knows that there's really only one place to go. One would be tempted to think that farming communities don't have much in the way of crime or the need to offload stolen items, but that betrays an outsider's misunderstanding of what it means to have a centralized milling operation. Millstone's strategic positioning on the widest and fastest part of Logan Creek is no mistake. Farmers from all over bring their grain to Millstone for its expedient and affordable milling services.

The nefarious underground may not have the same economy of scale as larger operations in major cities, but it is certainly profitable. And no one makes more profit in Millstone than The Fence. First-time contraband foisters may think that their contact is called "The Fence" because of what they do—fence stolen goods. When they get to the meeting location on the north side of town and the posts and beams begin to warp and tremble, they're quickly proven wrong.

Merfolk (Warrior, Wavecaller)

Merfolk. You know 'em, you (might) love 'em, you probably don't use 'em. The problem with merfolk is that they have underwater combat baked in, which most GMs and tables I know avoid given the myriad of questions it raises. How do you breathe and/or hold your breath? How well do you swim? How do you deal with combat in three dimensions? Lucky for you, all of these questions are actually pretty easy to answer for Pathfinder 2e.

Aside from the very basic mechanics the current merfolk offer, there isn't much to them. The real question is: how big are your underwater societies? Do you have entire nations of merfolk in a mystical Atlantis-adjacent city? What about pockets of merfolk that congregate around the ports? Do merfolk laborers scrape mussels off of the bottoms of ships? Do you have saltwater and freshwater merfolk? Was your entire world covered over in water at one point, allowing certain large lakes to have landlocked (ha) merfolk?

Think about what the merfolk means from a socio-cultural perspective. And yes, you should try and run them once in a while. The three-dimensional practice at lower levels will come in handy when your players get access to fly later. Give it a try! You don't need the Pythagorean Theorem to run them, I promise.

- TJ

Hook 1 (Nemanja) - The Pirate Without a Ship

A new pirate confederacy has risen to power off the coast of Tatamiki Archipelago—and it's quite an unusual one. The Wavecrashers call themselves pirates, though they own not a single ship as their manpower consists entirely of merfolk and harpies.

Those rare few who have survived Wavecrashers attacks talk of an eerie feeling of complete coordination between the two groups; the moray-bodied merfolk start with a series of boarding attempts that force sailors onto the defensive, turning their focus below. After the initial attack, the albatross winged, harpoon-bearing harpies descend from the clouds and begin the slaughter.

Hook 2 (TJ) - Might of the Moon

The Saint's Hope sunk off the coast of An'Zeth long ago. Now every three months, when all the moons are full, the Saint's Hope rises again, ravaging the coast outside of Nishka. The typical rumors surround it: the ship is cursed, it's haunted, or the captain has unfinished business. Attempts have been made to sink the ship, but regardless of how many holes are put in it, it does not waver. Discerning eyes, however, will note that the hull and frame of the ship (which sailors say regenerate anew each time it rises) are actually comprised of a patchwork of newer and older wood. Truly discerning individuals may be able to spot bits and pieces of previous ships the Saint's Hope has destroyed in recent months. 

The merfolk hydromancers maintaining the ship's buoyancy can only muster the proper magnitude of aquatic magicks when the moons are full. This gives the remaining merfolk plenty of opportunities to practice their carpentry using scavenged wrecks. Considering how well-fed they are given all of the crews they've eaten, they could keep at this for quite some time.

Hook 3 (Reece) - A Way Off World

Dear Fen,

As requested I am cataloging what I can of the flora and fauna here. Contrary to what one might think, there are very few merfolk here on Archipelagus. Given the prevalence of the plane of water here, I am particularly surprised.

There is one society I was able to locate in my travels—they were quite hospitable, to the point that I almost started to appreciate their hospitality. After ridding myself of that terrible impulse, I did learn a few things of interest.

These Mer, the Mi'ran, have been searching for a way off-world for some time now. They were left behind when the rest of their kin skirted into the Plane of Water. Evidently, their Shaman-King offended a powerful elemental lord who now bars their escape from this world. Should someone resolve the issue, I think we could take advantage of what they can't bring with them...

Insincerely, 

Gorimat

Lizardfolk (Defender, Scout, Stargazer)

Non-human humanoids are a staple of fantasy RPGs. They take many, many forms, though the Lizardfolk are among my favorite. I think it's important to consider how these non-humans affect the world you run in. Even published settings can benefit from considering what it means to have lizard-people living alongside others.

Are lizardfolk less common than humans, or are they the primary people of the world you run in? Do they favor climates that the humans do? Are they similarly xenophobic as we often expect humans to be or are they far more accepting of other ancestries? Consider how these kinds of things may affect your NPCs or the players you have that decide to play as lizardfolk.

The Bestiary presents us with three different lizardfolk variants that are quite versatile: the Defender, the Scout, and the Stargazer. Similar to the other stock-standard ancestries such as the goblins or gnolls, its expected that you would use all three in tandem at relatively low levels to introduce new characters to the world. Each is essentially self-explanatory in its name, a dextrous scout, a tankier defender, and a spellcaster.

Despite the simple presentation, the simple statblocks can allow for you to customize them a bit or shift their numbers pretty easily to adapt for other levels. Consider what other abilities your lizardfolk might have given their favored environment and, by extension, what that means for the society they have built there.

Lastly, remember that the lizardfolk are intelligent and that you should consider this when they aren't strict antagonists to the players. A neutral party that the players interact with can help set the tone for the players in that not every encounter has to be solved with a pointy stick, even if the peoples you're interacting with are a bit... Different.

- Reece

Hook 1 (Max) - The Heart of Darkness

The Hidden City long stood deep within the jungles of the south, its denizens many and all dedicated to a single cause—keeping the dark forces that lie beneath it at bay. For something just as ancient as the lizardfolk dwells below, a malice of old that is still trying to spew forth, something that wishes to be freed from its shackles set in place long ago by reptilian priests—priests who have been laying down their ever-living souls since the dawn of time.

The binds held for millennia, being reinforced and perfected through generations. Alas, the jungles have been invaded, burned and cut down by the younger species who do not understand the importance of the grand canopy. With this, the strength of the lizardmen has waned, as did the restraints holding the evil at bay. It is now only a matter of time before they become undone.

The priests sent out emissaries to all mortal realms in search of aid in this great moment of need, to no avail. Hence, the reptilian warriors prepare for their last stand, as soon hordes of unspeakable horrors shall wash over the world.

Hook 2 (Nemanja) - Offering Offspring

A Paladin of the Silver Light saved a lizardfolk shaman's life almost 20 years ago. The two have formed a close, brotherly bond since.

When the Paladin's wife gives birth to twin daughters—one of whom has a minor birth defect—the shaman unexpectedly appears.

"It will be a great honour for me to consume your weakling spawn so your bloodline remains untainted and uncompromised" he proclaims.

As disgusted as he is, the paladin wishes to try and refuse his old friend diplomatically, knowing full well just how different the lizardfolk customs are from his own...

Hook 3 (Reece) - The Sin of Kin

In the Burning Sea far to the west, the Kulkarnin live a harsh life in one of the harshest places in the world. Each Kulkarmu—a lizardfolk clan as the humans call them—struggles to pay their war reparations back to the Republic. The bloody war their people waged against the humans still carries many rippling effects over two hundred years later, namely steep dues required of each clan as determined by the amount of destruction their clan caused during the war.

While many take to working the coal mines in the eastern part of the isle, others find more dangerous employment in the massive metropolis of Oasis. The sick fascination humans have for the "warrior's prowess" of the Kulkarnin has led to gladiator pits becoming quite popular in the desert gem. Pitted against one another, the strongest warriors of the once-proud people struggle to win the once yearly championship so that they might pay off their family's debts.

When a knight from the Royal Navy shirks tradition and prejudice by recruiting these warriors instead of allowing their bloodsport to continue in perpetuity, it causes something of a crisis in the underworld. Crimelords, gambling den owners, and other ne'er do wells of all stripes are now looking to deal with the problem quickly so that they may continue to benefit from the status quo.

The knight, on the other hand, could use some help recruiting, as well as dealing with the various problems that come with upsetting the power balance.

Lizard (Giant Frilled, Giant Gecko & Giant Monitor)

So... the Lizard. In our everyday world, it's one of the closest things we can get to a dragon, but in the realm of fantasy where dragons are (often) commonplace, the good old reptile seems to be of little interest to anyone.

As is the case with all (okay, most) normal animals present in the Bestiary, one might find it somewhat challenging to use a lizard as an interesting plot point. That is when it's time to stretch your worldbuilding muscles. The Bestiary gives some good pointers on that front; a great example, Giant Geckos might be used as mounts by societies that would value their impeccable climbing skills over the sturdiness of the Horse™. Some folk might see the Frilled Lizard as a sacred beast of their ancestors, while others may find the Monitor a delicacy. So, open your herpetology textbook and spice your world up with some scaly critters.

- Max

Hook 1 (Max) - The Lizard Wizard

The wizard in ornate robes paces around the room, visibly annoyed.

"Lost his mind, he has!" he murmurs to a cloaked figure sitting at a nearby table. "This is preposterous!"

"Calm down, old man, it's just a lizard."

"That's the thing!" the mage shouts, fury evident in his voice. "A stupid lizard! And he listens to it as if it speaks gospel, only it doesn't even speak! I fear for the kingdom, it will not take long for the news to spread. Ridicule is sure to follow, but that we can manage... But it won't take long for some of our neighbors to seize the opportunity. Can you imagine what will happen if a mindless reptile is put in charge of all defenses?"

The hooded man scowls. "A massacre, surely." He sits upright, pressing his chin against folded hands. "I assume you have a solution in mind?"

A wolfish grin sets about the old man's features. "That I do, my old friend. It is quite obvious, honestly. We need to get rid of that gods-damned lizard before the king does something truly foolish; fortunately, it just so happens that a band of famed mercenaries is in the capital. I think they might be up to the challenge..."

Hook 2 (Nemanja) - The Greatscale Hunters

The archipelago of Zablaii is home to no mammals other than halflings.

Nevertheless, when contact was made with the Nordlands and their knightly traditions, the island kings fell in love with the concept of Grand Hunts.

To that end, over the years they have domesticated the massive dragon-lizards that make the archipelago their home. Now, these majestic creatures follow them in their campaigns over land, sea, and air.

Hook 3 (TJ) - A Giant Headache

"You ev-" smack "you ever notice how-" Lillania said, before being cut off as the large reptilian beast slammed into her. She grunted, shoving it back a few paces before turning back to her companion again.

"I just think it's funny how every time-" She danced to the side as it charged by her, grabbing it by the tail as it lunged for Vincent. "-every time we're called to take care of an animal, it's always GIANT. Have you noticed that?" With all of her strength, she pulled on the enormous lizard. The beast attempted to scramble toward Vincent again, its tail popping free into Lillania's arms.

A bead of sweat dripped down his face as Vincent attempted to finish the spell, backing up and circling as the lizard charged him. The arcane drawing following his finger flashed as he connected the last line. As the spell came to completion, the lizard decreased in size rapidly. After a moment, it came to rest on the dirt between them, a normal-sized gecko once more. He picked it up and placed it in a small enclosure. Lillania gestured at him with the still-enormous tail. He shrugged as she slung it over her shoulder.

"I have noticed. I think it's time we start asking some more pointed questions. There has to be a connection."

"Really?" She asked, giving the tail a few test swings. "Usually you think I'm being paranoid."

"Yes, well. That was a close one." The mage gestured to the large claw still stuck in his outer robe. "Also, I'm running out of cages."

Lich

The Lich is an iconic monster, for good reason. It has a great narrative built into it—cheating death through (most often) dubious means for (most often) dubious reasons. So, you have an undead that is extremely hard to kill, is in all likelihood ancient, and possesses knowledge on an unimaginable scale. Not only that, but even if you manage to kill them, they come back as long as their phylactery stays intact.

This is where my gripe with liches comes into play; they have unlimited learning time for all intents and purposes, but for some reason, they are only ever used as pure spellcasters. That doesn't make a lot of sense if you think about it. If you contemplate your setting and a party that goes from level one to level twenty, it doesn't take more than a lifetime to master a specific set of abilities. Like, for instance, spellcasting. Lich has at least several lifetimes to spare. So why wouldn't this undead baddie use it to their advantage and master as many abilities as possible? Yeah, the baseline lich has some neat spells and whatnot, but imagine what would happen if your party charged the bugger expecting to stomp him, only to find that he is even scarier in melee. That's how you get a memorable encounter.

Moving on from their battle prowess, let us think of a good reason for becoming a vile undead. The obvious quest for power or fear of death is low-hanging fruit and doesn't make for too complicated a villain, does it? Maybe they didn't want to become a lich? Perhaps they did it to protect the ones they love? Thought that the dark ritual was the only way to save the world? Liches are always interesting, but there are ways to make them even more so and to make them feel unique. Remember, they are not mindless monsters, they are characters—ones that possess great intellect and knowledge. Make sure they use both.

- Max

Hook 1 (Max) - Do You Doubt Me, Traitor?

There is something foul in the air that permeates the ashen waste that was once called The Blackgrove. A few unfortunate travelers that had to make their way through that wicked place tell stories of two specters locked in eternal combat that brought the land to ruin. Not much is known about them, outside of a few tales passed down amongst the locals. Shrike, the smaller of the two, is so fast that the naked eye can barely register its movements, darting around its adversary. Behemoth on the other hand is a towering warrior who could probably bring down an entire building with a single swing of his blade.

They weren't always like this, although few know the real story. Once upon a time, they were friends, maybe even something more, but they would never admit it to each other's faces. They both were disciples of a powerful magus that had his study there and believed that their work was to better the world. This was not, unfortunately, the case, as their master was looking for a way to make himself immortal. Worse even, he found the secret and decided to test it on one of his students—the one known now as Behemoth—turning him into a vile undead. Mad with rage, he killed his old master, after which Shrike found them. Before any explanation could take place, Shrike struck Behemoth down, not knowing he could no longer be killed and would return soon after.

Once Shrike learned this, they dedicated their entire life to stopping him, not knowing the only thing he wants is to reconcile. They too, much to Behemoth's dismay, discovered the dark ritual needed to become as he has. So now, they are locked in an eternal struggle, filled with heartbreak and bitterness, sure it is the other that's to blame for all this.

It's quite possible that there's no path to rest or solace for them, but hope dies last, doesn't it?

Hook 2 (Nemanja) - The Powderheart Pioneer

Ol' Cragalag was a pioneer in so many ways that listing them all would take more than a night's worth of storytelling. He was among the first to go westward from the Colonies, into the Widelands. He was among the first to carry gunpowder weapons with him, and the first one to discover gunpowder's magical qualities. He was nearly the first one to find a way to use gunpowder to treat diseases were it not for the fact that, by then, his health and strength were already failing him. So, he became the first powder mage to use gunpowder to achieve unholy eternal life.

Now, this boomstick carrying lich controls a piece of territory in the Envadan plains. Those who pass through his territory bearing weapons of old are usually left alone, but anyone with the scent of sulfur to them is hunted, to be captured and interrogated, as the once-great frontiersman unlocks even more secrets of black powder...

Hook 3 (TJ) - The Heart and Soul of the Dwarven Guilds

Tharrum Platefury, head of the Armorsmith's Guild in Uthen, has been around for centuries. Given that dwarves are long-lived in general, seeing little in the way of leadership shakeups doesn't come as a surprise. Tharrum's unique longevity, and the manner in which he hides it, however, aren't common knowledge, even within the Platefury clan.

The Forge of the Steel Kings—the seat of power for Uthenni guilds—has also been around for centuries. The anvil at its center, the Heart of Firststeel, holds a secret key to Tharrum's long life. He often jokes that maintaining his guild and running a country takes his very heart and soul. This is more true than anyone knows.

Tharrum was present when the Heart was cast from Firststeel. He was there the day the comet fell, bringing that alien metal to Tharodros. And there he will remain, so long as his soul remains within the anvil as it has, undisturbed for centuries.

Leukodaemon

The name Leukodaemon might be considered a little on the nose, given that the Greek "leukos" means "white," or "clean". Even more interesting, it appears to share the word root with leukocytes, the human body cells responsible for protecting it against diseases. As you'll find, the Pestilence Daemon is the exact inverse.

With a skull for its head and wings of a vulture, the leukodaemon is a manifestation of evil, a being who previously succumbed to sickness. As such, it works relentlessly to spread any plague wherever it can, being much more inclined towards working with others of its kind than most daemons.

Its abilities fit the creature thematically quite well. It can sense any diseased creature and know what kind of sickness ails it. It has an aura that makes everyone within it more susceptible to contract an illness. Most of its attacks inflict the Daemonic Pestilence on the target and, better yet, the daemon can speed up the progression of any malady currently affecting a creature.

All things considered, the leukodaemon is a good choice for when you need a plague-themed monster to center your game around.

- Max

Hook 1 (Max) - The Plague Within

Something was afoul in the air for a long time. No one was willing to admit it, but everyone felt it. Now, it is too late.

It started with the animals. They fell silent and catatonic in unison, all overnight. They refused food, didn't move, and not long after, they started dying by the hundreds. There were far too many carcasses to manage, so soon they started rotting. Then the crops failed. And reserves began to spoil.

The buzzing of flies became constant, as their fat little bodies clouded the skies. Starvation followed. Now bodies of men, children, and women littered the streets, as fights for what meager food anyone might have left ensued.

Scavengers are circling the cities, towns, and villages, feasting on the cadavers. Prime among them are pale vulture-like monsters, putrid flesh peeling off their bones, the stench of death and decay following where they go, carried by the winds as they beat their dark wings.

More and more of them appear by the day. With each new arrival, they seemingly grow hungrier, eager to make sport of the remaining survivors. For things are about to get much worse. In five days, the black moon will rise, and they shall bring forth their greatest gift.

A plague unlike any seen before.

Hook 2 (Nemanja) - A Benevolent Nightmare

A thousand and one years ago, several spirits of the forest, young demigods, and other such powerful entities, decided to do an experiment: could a society guided by extreme fears prosper? Thus was Isla Dittatora born in the secluded archipelago of San Ovejas. The "gods" took on horrible forms and started haunting a town that had just begun to grow, as the advent of new irrigation technologies promised an Age of prosperity. The deities would appear before the locals when they were about to drink infected water, dye their clothes with toxic compounds, tame beasts that can not be tamed...

And the locals learned to respect their gods' guidance as wise and infallible. Over time, the mighty polis of Tonta grew into an advanced society, that traded with faraway lands and was well respected.

Tonta's golden age would abruptly end in one fell swoop, however. A barbarian from the Northlands was on his way to the city-state when he saw a dark, twisted creature with the skull of a horse in place of a head appear before him and speak to him in a raspy voice, telling him something about his method of curing meat. The barbarian did as any man worth his salt would do and split the fiend's head in two without blinking.

Unfortunately, said fiend was an entity known as The Lord of The Flies, a spirit of the earth that fought against the advent of plagues and diseases within the city. Soon enough, the ships from Tonta started bearing plague rats and the stench of deaths, and a certain barbarian was said to be on a quest to revive a god...

Hook 3 (Reece) - The Plaguesingers

As the Yellow Plague strikes down one in every four that catches it, the food crisis grows ever more urgent. Without farmers to collect the crops in the outskirts, the capital is struck with both plague and starvation. Those that are able to gather their meager crops are devastated to find much of the grain spoiled and ridden with weevils. The Church no longer attempts to send its clergy to treat the sick and dying, preferring instead to sequester themselves within their monasteries, away from the disease.

There is a story or a herald of this new end times. A bird-headed creature is seen out in the fog of the early mornings each time before the plague strikes a new city or town. Hearing tales of the creature, some have begun to craft masks after the creature's likeness. These fanatics have begun to worship the creature, hoping to find salvation in appeasing it.

Just as the plague worsens, a tide of people wearing these masks roves from city to city, singing The Plaguesong and turning the people against The Church, killing the clergy in retribution for abandoning them.

Little do the Plaguesingers as they are called know, the creature they seek salvation from is the cause of these nightmarish times. A demon hunter and a rogue priest of The Church wishes to stop further destruction, though they must face off against both the Plaguesingers, the angry commoners, and lesser fiends in service of the creature that is the cause of all the strife.

They could use some help.

Leshy

Editors Note: For the first time since our team went from Nemanja on his lonesome to the four of us, we have a guest! Orfane AKA @TTRPGHomebrew AKA Matt has lent his leshy expertise to Beastfider. Thanks to his design (and Sita's wonderful illustrations!) we depart from the usual Beastfinder approach and discuss the leshy as a whole. If you haven't had enough leshy from the bestiaries that are already out, make sure to check out The Botanical Bestiary pre-order here!

Krooth

Any monster that has baked-in hooks makes our job way easier here at Beastfinder. The Krooth is such a beast. A strange amphibious/reptilian creature resembling a cross between a chameleon and some manner of dinosaur, the krooth is an ambush predator with some terrifying mating habits. Given that the male krooth is a bit of a, uh—"Hot commodity" in more ways than one, this fantasy animal lends itself very well to medium-level hunts or fetch quests.

This monster serves as a great reminder that the wider world is still dangerous, even for a higher-level party. How do the societies that inhabit the areas in or around your bogs and wetlands deal with the krooth population? Perhaps there are vanguards of around 8th level that already deal with them. Do local(ish) alchemists have established trade relationships with people in these locales? However your societies deal with these bloodthirsty monsters, fighting a krooth in an already alligator or dinosaur-infested bog is not something I envy your players for having to do.

- TJ

Hook 1 (Max) - The Hunt of Desires

The room is dark, the person who invited you obscured. They pour wine into ornate chalices set on the table. Their voice is raspy and tired.

"It is quite a delicate matter. You'd do wise to not talk about it in the open. The duke has been trying to produce an heir for the better part of the last five or so years, to no avail. Doctors said that there are no evident issues with either him or the duchess, so they've been trying various methods, again with little success. However, one of them suggested using a potent aphrodisiac produced by a curious reptile—known commonly as a krooth. It needs to be harvested in the mating season for it to prove effective, mind you. Fortunately, it just so happens that we have a male stalking the nearby swampland. There is a slight issue. Namely, a pack of females has already caught his scent and is on its way there—you'd better hurry before they get to him."

Hook 2 (Nemanja) - The Scaleslicer's Test

To enter the inner circle of Scaleslicers—a group of sacred warriors committed to battling reptilian threats, be they dragons, naga, or just very big lizards—a prospective member needs to pass a grueling, night-long ritual of battle.

In the midst of the krooth mating season, they are to tasked to slay a large male, cut out his scent glands, and mark themselves with the musk that then throws females into a murderous frenzy.

Be it through battling them, avoiding them, or even sheer luck, those who live to see the dawn become the Scaleslicers' elite.

Hook 3 (TJ) - Poaching, Over Easy

Hobgoblin krooth catchers don't take kindly to poachers. The krooth breeding grounds have long been sectioned off into approved hunting areas, split between the various companies that profit off of their alchemical properties. Any unaffiliated individual found battling a krooth may quickly find themselves surrounded by disapproving goblinoids who, more often than not, attempt to tip the battle in the krooth's favor. Accidents are easier to account for, they've found.

The fact that there is a poacher that continuously evades their patrols infuriates the hobgoblin catching crews to no end. A large monetary reward has been placed on the head of the "Krooth Shadow," along with a lesser reward on any information of their whereabouts.

Kraken

What's the one area of our planet that we have not managed to fully map, and survey? The ocean. What is commonly one of the greatest fears that humans harbor? The unknown. Bearing that in mind, it is of no surprise that the good old Kraken has managed to remain in our collective imagination for as long as it has.

Commonly depicted as a giant—no, enormous—cephalopod (it is an interesting sidenote that early portrayals of the beast likened it to a crab or a whale, rather than an octopus or squid). It is said to lurk beneath dark waters, and prey upon ships of all sizes, being the undisputed apex predator of the oceans. And yes, we now know that most likely the legend of the Kraken stems from sightings of normal animals, but isn't it exciting frightening to think that there might be a monster of this caliber somewhere out there, deep down, under the waves?

Of course, we're in the business of fantasy, so we naturally assume the Kraken is real. And this is one scary thought. Were I to live in such a world, there would be no force in the world that could convince me to set foot aboard a maritime vessel. Alas, the sea is a good way of transporting people and goods, even more so than land. But every ship is an investment, so it would make sense for them to be well-armed against any such beast. A ship armed and defended in such a way is far harder to sack by non-Kraken threats. Just one example of this monster affecting the culture of your world.

Traditionally, there were only two specimens of the creature, said to be unable to reproduce. That does make them unique, doesn't it? However, think of the alternative. A whole species of enormous monsters capable of demolishing entire fleets. How come they don't devastate the ecosystem? Maybe they hibernate for most of the time? Breed only at a very specific place during a certain phase of the moon? Possibilities, much like the horrors of the Kraken, are endless.

- Max

Hook 1 (Max) - Save Our Squid

The royal family is looking for seasoned mercenaries—a lot of them. "A delicate matter," the secret emissaries say. Alas, the issue at hand is far from delicate.

Turns out that deep beneath the capital, in vast and spacious caverns filled with brine, an ancient horror laid in slumber, put there by the kings of old "as a last line of defense." Or so they said.

It would all be fine if not for the fact that the aforementioned hollows were connected to the ocean and, once the beast awoke from its centuries-long sleep, it made its way into open waters. So far no one yet knows, but it is only a matter of time.

Disposing of the beast would be no easy matter, but the king is adamant that it is not to be slain. He offers a handsome reward in gold, titles, magical artifacts, land, and favors to those who manage to bring it back alive and well, and vengeance upon those that would harm the ancestral beast of his house.

Hook 2 (Nemanja) - Forbidden Frontier

The year is 2121.

After several attempts at colonizing Mars and the Moon fail, mankind has turned its eye back to Earth's last frontier—the deep sea.

The greatest minds of the species, funded by the endless riches of the megacorps, worked to find a way to solve the "overpopulation issues", as humans would not survive a fourth world war. A massive deep-sea station was conceived as the prototype for entire cities that would follow.

Alas, just when the first expedition was about to dock their submarine and officially become the first residents of Neo-Atlantis, massive tentacles appeared from the Marianna Trench and crushed the sub in a matter of seconds. The massive, squidlike creature proceeded to swim up to the surface where dozens of vessels carrying journalists were located, where it proceeded to speak in clear mandarin (the lingua franca of the 22nd century).

It explained that the sea isn't for the humans to claim, and threatened an even more violent response next time.

That wasn't the end of the oddities, though—several hours later, another similar creature, albeit significantly smaller and radiating an eerie pink glow, appeared. This one offered to "take care of the Monarch, and leave you sapiens the sea to rule as you see fit" if arrangements could be made for it to be shipped to Venus.

Hook 3 (TJ) - Tentacled Tariffs

The kraken that patrols the Incidental Sea sinks any and every Zethi ship during Ambersun. Aldunnian and Utheni ships have had no issue. Consistently, year after year, Zethi ships meet the bottom of the ocean as the kraken tears them apart. No one knows what the kraken does or where it goes during the other months of the year. Zethi sailors have grown accustomed to taking trips and vacations in Ambersun, given no one is eager to die at the tentacles of this squid-like beast.

The researchers at the University of An'Zar have their theories about why the kraken only attacks their ships, but all of them are far from the truth. If they knew that the kraken was systematically sinking the ships of the most magically apt nation on the continent looking for a scroll of air breathing, they might be a little more afraid.