d20 Devil's Workshop King of All Pulp Monsters.pdf
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OVERVIEW OF
THE ISLAND
Far away for the hustle and bustle on the
city streets of the land know as Haven,
the Island of the Great Beasts usually
is located far west off the coast of
Sumatra. The exact location of
the island varies, and sometimes
the island is not to be found at
all. Some say the reason for
this is that the Island of the
Great Beasts is dimen-
sionally unstable, and
at times shifts wholly
or partially into a parallel plane, where
it resides in the ocean of an alternate
Earth. Because of this instability, no
map can provide the exact coordi-
nates of the island, and most leave
the island off entirely, as many
cartographers believe it to be no
more than a myth. The very shape
of the island’s coastline changes
over time, making ship land-
ings difficult. But many believe
this is a myth. The shore is often
shrouded by swirling, pale-blue
mists. Compasses behave strangely
near the island, as the dimensional
anomaly warps lines of magnetic
energy.
LPJ9794
The island is home to a host of
monstrous creatures, most of which
resemble dinosaurs from Earth’s
primordial past, thought the most
famed is a gigantic primate. The
ecology of the island defies natural
King of all
Pulp Monsters
King of all
Pulp Monsters
Requires the use of the d20 Modern Roleplaying Game, published by Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
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KING OF ALL PULP MONSTERS
law, as several huge-or even gargantuan-predators dwell upon
the relatively small, enclosed environment. No outside natu-
ralist has remained alive long enough on the island to explain
this. The best explanation is that it is due to supernatural
forces. Real magic definitely exists on the island, with a
handful of the inhabitants able to cast spells and magical
brew potions and elixirs.
resulting in the smaller islands breaking apart and sinking
beneath the waves.
The Island of the Great Beasts alone remained, adrift for
decades. During this time, the dinosaur-creature became over
more numerous and active. The largest seemed drawn to the
now defenseless city, forcing the humans to flee to the shore.
It was during this time that a terrible undead sorcerer arrived
on the island, along with an entourage of humanoid servants.
It was also the first time that reptilian serpent men appeared
in marshes. This was also when the enormous apes which
would later produce the legendary beast known as Kong were
first seen on the island.
HISTORY OF THE ISLAND
The Island of the Great Beasts was once one of a chain
of volcanic islands that served an important function as a
series of way stations for ocean travelers from Africa, Asia,
the Middle East, and even Europe. The Island of the Great
Beasts (
though it was not known as such then
) was the largest
of the islands, and the most heavily inhabited (
by humans
only at that time
). As the island’s natives grew prosperous
through trade, they began to realize the need to protect their
wealth. They established a stone-walled city, using construc-
tion/engineering techniques they had gleaned from Arabic
voyagers. This was fortuitous, as the thick stone walls would
soon prove vital in protecting the island from far more deadly
threats than other humans.
The island reappeared to the outside world roughly two
hundred years ago. The fantastic tales that the rare traveler
has brought back about the island since then have only added
to the disbelief that most have about the reality of the island.
NOTABLE FEATURES
The Great Barricade:
The human tribe that dwells near the
island’s coast live behind a fifteen meter (
nearly fifty feet
)
tall heavily fortified wooden barricade. The barricade was
erected following the earthquake that destroyed the stone
walls of the Ruined City (
see below
), allowing the neo-dino-
saurs to overrun the area. The human survivors of this time
retreated to the island’s coast and hastily constructed a barrier
to protect them. Their descendents have maintained and
strengthened this barricade over the generations. The Great
Barricade completely encloses the human village save for the
side that faces the coast. A massive gate stands in the middle
of the barricade. The barricade has a Hardness 6, Hit Points
60, and Break DC 30.
At a number of times in the past the Earth has come into
close contact with an alternate world with different physical
laws, a land where magic is ascendant over science. During
one such mystic conjunction the ecology of the island was
radically altered. This was when the first dinosaur-like crea-
tures appeared. It was also when a sinister ophidian (
snake-
like
) race took up residence on the island. Two distinct
castes of these creatures existed-the evil, highly intelligent
serpent-priests, and the primitive, simple-minded serpent-
warriors that served them. These serpent-priests attempted
to use the convergence of mystic forces that occurred on
the island to summon a horrible fiend from a hellish outer
plane. Fortunately they were discovered and slain by the
human tribesmen before they could succeed (
though they
may have been partially successful-it is possible the demon
they tried to summon was somehow trapped in the island’s
volcano
). However, the serpent-men has seduced a few of the
weaker-willed human females, and sired offspring capable of
blending with normal humans. These are the Tainted Ones.
A handful of the serpent warriors also still exist, eking out an
existence in the swamps.
The Ruined City:
As detailed above, the stone city of
the natives was abandoned when the events of the second
conjunction caused an earthquake that badly damaged the
city’s structures and toppled its’ stone walls. This left the city
without protection from the voracious giant reptiles on the
island, especially the Neo-Tyrannosaurs that seemed to flock
to the city.
Skull Mountain:
As can be inferred by the name, this rocky
knoll resembles a crude but gigantic human skull. Not truly
tall enough to qualify as a mountain, being more a large
hill, it is nonetheless an impressive landmark. The knoll is
located near the shore, and the “face” of the skull is visible
from the ocean, as one approaches the island. Whether the
eerie features of the knoll are natural or somehow man-made
remains a mystery. The network of coves and tunnels that
run through the cliff are home to the Cave Folk (
see below
).
Several decades later, a second conjunction took place. This
brought the island even closer to the parallel world and
caused even greater disruptions. The entire island chain was
cloaked in the swirling mists that persist to this day. This
set off the volcano that sits in the middle of the Island of the
Great Beasts, causing an earthquake that destroyed the stone
walls of the city. Worse, the conjunction caused the volca-
noes on the other islands to erupt with even greater force,
Erroneous reports have sometimes placed Skull Mountain
near the center of the island, and suggested that it is the home
of Kong himself. Kong actually dwells much closer to the
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KING OF ALL PULP MONSTERS
heart of the jungle, on a taller hillside, far more heavily
covered with vegetation than the nearly barren Skull
Mountain.
The Volcano:
The center of the island is home to
a volcano. The volcano has lain dormant since
the second conjunction but the islanders fear
that it is only a matter of time before it
again becomes active, wreaking havoc by
spewing forth lava and sending shockwaves
throughout the island. The human natives
will attempt to flee by sea in the event of a
major eruption, despite their fear of crossing
the ocean. The Tainted Ones (
see below
)
believe that a powerful evil outsider is
trapped in the heart of the volcano, and
secretly gather to perform rituals they
hope will free the demon-thing. It is
up to the Game Master if the demon
actually exists or not.
MONSTERS
OF THE
ISLAND
The most fearsome
monster on the island
is Kong, a roughly ten-
meter tall anthropoid that
resembles a giant gorilla,
though there are certain
noticeable differences (
Kong
normally walks semi-erect, not on
all fours, has pronounced canine
teeth suitable for an omnivore, and
so on
).
The island is also home to several
species of dinosaur, including
beasts related to the prehistoric
T-Rex, Brontosaurus, Pteranodon,
and Triceratops. Giant Crocodiles
and enormous constrictor snakes (
similar to Boas and
Pythons
) are found in the swamps, and the shallow
waters near the shore are home to Plesiosaurs and
Giant Octopi.
In addition, there are also a variety of giant vermin
on the island, particularly out-sized spiders, centi-
pedes, millipedes, and carnivorous worms. The
size of these insects has been much exaggerated by
outsiders, but they remain potential threats to unwary
visitors. Most of these overgrown vermin are just as
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aggressive and hungry as the larger reptilian predators on the
island.
Beasts, clustered in thatched wooden huts in a single village
that sits behind the Great Barricade.
The natives are no mere savages. Though their technological
level is relatively low, they are the heirs to the civilization
that once existed inside the Ruined City. As such, they have
a written language, a relatively modern understanding of
construction and engineering, and an advanced knowledge of
herbal medicine. They have access to few natural resources
save for what their ancestors managed to scavenge from the
city, and what they have occasionally been able to trade for.
NATIVE DWELLERS
Three distinct tribes co-exist on the island. The most
numerous are the Human Villagers: These are the descendents
of the people that once inhabited the Ruined City. Physically,
the tribesmen are a tall, slender dark-skinned people that
primarily exhibit a blend of African and Malaysian racial
traits, though many members also show Middle Eastern,
European, or Far Eastern traits, owing to the ancient history
of the island as a trade center. They speak their own
language, but are familiar with several outside
languages as well, including Arabic, English,
French, and Swahili, owing to the history of
the island as a trading station as well as the
increasingly infrequent visits from outsiders,
though only a handful have any real profi-
ciency. Perhaps as many as five hundred
humans still live on the Island of the Great
The human islanders are not unfriendly to outsiders,
and may even be willing to engage in trade
or serve as guides so long as they
believe visitors are offering them
something of worth. They may,
however, attempt to seize a particu-
larly attractive or exotic looking
female to offer up as a sacrifice to
Kong to spare one of their own.
They will offer to compensate the
visitors for this, but may not accept
no for an answer.
The chief of the village is a
Strong Hero 2/Fast Hero 2/ Archaic
Weaponmaster 3. The village witch
doctor is a Dedicated Hero 3/ Mystic
5. Rather than the ability to Turn
Undead, the Mystic has the power
to Turn Dinosaurs. The
villagers typically use
swords (
forged
from scavenged
metal
), nets, and
spears in melee,
and employ short
bows and hurled spears
as ranged weapons. They
also have access to a handful of
obsolete but functional firearms.
The Cave Folk are descen-
dents of brutish humanoids that
were brought to the island during the
second conjunction by an evil undead
mage. As noted above, they live inside the
tunnels of the Skull Cliff, hunting and scavenging
around the base of the cliff and the adjacent shoreline. The
Cave Folk have dwindled over time, and now number no
more than two hundred. They were long ago freed from
their servitude long ago, and have reverted to a simple,
relatively peaceful existence (
as peaceful as
life on the island can be
). The final fate
of their former master is
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KING OF ALL PULP MONSTERS
unknown. They long ago learned to live in peace with the
human natives. At one time the two tribes even engaged in
joint hunting missions, trade, and even intermarriage, but
over time the humans became more insular and fearful of the
non-human tribe and broke off all contact. Still, many have
human blood running in their veins. They generally try to
avoid humans, particularly outsiders. They are not particu-
larly hostile, but will defend their territory against intruders.
They fight with swords, axes, bows, and slings. The tribal
champion of the Cave Folk is a Strong Hero 4/Tough Hero 2.
Their shaman is a Dedicated Hero 4/Acolyte 2. He can turn
dinosaurs rather than undead.
is still a gathering place for several species of large dinosaur.
If the GM deems it appropriate, a Doppler Staff is present-in
the nest of half a dozen hungry immature Neo-Tyrannosaurs!
Underneath Skull Mountain lies the abandoned laboratory
of the evil sorcerer that brought the Cave Folk to the island.
There is little real wealth remaining (
enough only for an EL
+2 Wealth award
) but if magic using characters are allowed
in the campaign, a search of the laboratory reveals readable
2-5 scrolls (
1d4+1
), and a moldering tome with instructions
on performing two incantations. The GM should determine
the exact spells detailed, according to how much power he/
she wishes to allow the PCs access to. If spell-casting is not
allowed, the ancient occult texts still fetch +2 Wealth if sold
to a collector. The Cave Folk will defend these treasures to
the death out of superstitious fear of their former master.
The Swamp Folk:
Fewer than a hundred of these reptilian
serpent-like creatures still exist, clinging to a precarious
existence in the swamps. Too few in number to pose any
threat to the human natives, they will nonetheless attempt to
pick off any intruders moving through their territory to gain
whatever tools, equipment, or weapons the outsiders might be
carrying (
as well as for food
). They are basically savages, and
normally possess only primitive weapons such as crude stone
axes and spears, unless they have managed to seize better
from humans (
villagers or explorers
). The leader is a Fast
Hero 3/Tough Hero 2.
The village witch doctor has the ability to brew magical
potions. Those they cannot be replicated/mass produced,
they would obviously command value on the open market.
The Witch Doctor will demand some especially tasking favor
from the PCs in return for the potions, rather than selling
them outright.
Creatures of the Island:
As described above, the island
is teeming with a variety of fearsome beasts and several
non-human races. Statistics are given for some of the more
notable such denizens below. Other suitable creatures can
include other dinosaurs or giant mammals, enormous snakes,
monstrous vermin, carnivorous plants, and even monstrous
humanoids. Examples can be found in the d20 Modern Core
Rulebook, Urban Arcana, and Menace Manual.
The Tainted Ones:
As noted above, the Tainted Ones were
born from the union of corrupted tribal women and the band
of reptilian serpent men that once tried to perform a heinous
summoning ritual on the island. They display minor snake-
like traits but are otherwise human in appearance, and live
among the villagers unsuspected. They are no more than
twenty in number. They gather in secret at the base of the
volcano and attempt to awaken the evil outsider they believe
dwells within. The master of the Tainted Ones is a female
who wields potent magic (
Dedicated Hero 5/Charismatic Hero
2/Acolyte 8
). She can command/rebuke dinosaurs instead of
undead.
KONG
This nearly ten meter tall ape is the undisputed king of the
island jungle. No other creature save the largest neo-tyran-
nosaur can even challenge Kong, and Kong has slain several
of these creatures in his long existence, usually by grappling
them to destruction. All on the island huddle in fear when
Kong is on the march. The humans hide behind their gated
barricade, the Cave Folk retreat to their caves and coves, the
Swamp Folk disappear into the marshes.
TREASURES OF
THE ISLAND
The greatest prize for any treasure hunters on the Island of
Great Beasts are the various monsters and giant reptiles on
the island. Even a small or immature dinosaur would bring at
least a +4 Wealth award from a major university or scientific
institution, +8 if the creature is delivered alive and intact. A
carcass of a full grown Neo-Tyrannosaur would grant a +10
Wealth award, +25 if delivered alive. Bringing the mighty
Kong back alive would generate +35 Wealth! Characters
could also choose to put captured beasts on display and
charge admission, even touring the country or world with
their finds, but the details of this are left to the Game Master.
Kong is apparently unique. No others of his kind have been
seen by the island natives for at least several generations, and
some of the tribal elders insist that only one Kong has ever
existed. If true, this would mean that Kong must be extraor-
dinarily long-lived or perhaps even immortal. Yet there
are those who insist that Kong did indeed have a mate and
has produced a male offspring, but that Kong’s son will not
grow to his father’s size and might until the current Kong is
somehow slain.
The human tribesmen offer regular tribute to Kong, including
annual human sacrifices. This sacrifices are meant to both
The remains of the Ruined City hide a cache of gold and
gemstones sufficient for a Wealth award of EL +6. The area
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