The gates of Death are said to be impervious. Most of the time this is the case, but sometimes cracks or rents form, sometimes slowly over the years and so subtly that it takes a while before Death even notices. Sometimes a great rift is made in some act of hubris or accident. Whatever way, many souls of the dead resent being beyond the gates and even after aeons will still claw their way out if given the opportunity, ready to try (and fail) to return to the land of the living. But during that time that they are free for they can wreak all sorts of havoc, for they seek flesh to become more 'alive' but instead create shambling horrors, other times they lash out of the living, jealous of what they have - or seek to finish business that they could not while alive. Most of the time however they are so alienated from their time beyond the gates that all they feel is numbness once they arrive - memories provide the only warmth they can feel and they have none... for the moment. Instinct: To Return to Life

• Possess a corpse and 'resume' life
• Steal a memory from the living.

A canny wizard, most dangerous on his home turf Instinct: to seek pleasure and plenty

• cast a low-key level spell
• offer a gift, bargain, or trade
• activate a magical ward
• reveal a magical trap, curse, or binding

The bladderwort living in The Dark Mire are not well known, predominately because they have a tendency to digest anyone who see them. Instinct: To trick, then ensnare

• Enzymatic digestion
• Entrance with beautiful flowers

The bones are living dead that have decayed over the eons. They shake and rattle as characters approach; however, they can no longer animate into cohesive skeletons. The skulls clack, clatter, and attempt to bite, but are easily avoided and crushed through normal means.(Monster adapted from the classic DCC Adventure "The Portal under the Stars" by Joseph Goodman) Instinct: Destroy

• Fail to form skeletons
• Shake
• Rattle

"A great stillness pervades the room. It is the stillness of death; the silence of a tomb. Then, suddenly, the stillness is broken as the clay warlord jerkily raises an arm toward his generals. Then, the entire army takes a lurching step forward, shattering the silence with the tramp of doom." If the warlord is killed (same stats), the entire army loses anima,becoming simply a set of clay statues.(Monster adapted from the classic DCC Adventure "The Portal under the Stars" by Joseph Goodman) Instinct: Obey the Clay Warlord and his Generals!

Their features are hard to discern because of their translucency, but they are perfect replicas of the eons-old proto-human warrior prisoners who were transformed to create them. They are attracted to light and shuffle toward torches and lanterns. They do not attack, but their approach may seem menacing, and they will defend themselves. If they reach a torch or other light source unmolested, they simply stand next to it and absorb the warmth.(Monster adapted from the classic DCC Adventure "The Portal under the Stars" by Joseph Goodman) Instinct: Defend

• Attracted by Light
• Seek Warmth
• Will not attack, only defend

When Ssisssuraaaaggg is killed, its snake body dissolves into ash,leaving only the naga's demonic horn behind. The horn can be used to commune with the demon when meditated upon.It will offer its services in combat in exchange for information, magic items or evil acts.It is often employed as a treasure guardian.(Monster adapted from the classic DCC Adventure "The Portal under the Stars" by Joseph Goodman) Instinct: Offer Deal

• Seek lost magic, knowledge and artifacts
• Send a follower to their death
• Guard for an employer

Fahtagan the Gibbering Maw is one of countless elder creatures that were exiled from our realm eons ago. Where the veil between worlds is thin, they seek to enter. Some misguided individuals seek out the favor of these entities in the hopes of attaining power. It always ends badly. Instinct: To corrupt the natural order

• Warp reality
• Warp the world with chaotic energy

A creature born of chaos, the Mawling can be summoned from The Realm Beyond Realms or created by twisting the biology of a living creature into a mockery of what it once was. They exist simply to consume and destroy. Instinct: to consume

• Tear and Rend
• Warp reality

The patriarch of the Cromwell family, H.P. seeks to gain power by making deals with powers beyond the known realms. He's currently using the Tome of Unspeakable Things to try and summon forth Fahtagan the Gibbering Maw. As a side effect, the townsfolk are experiencing the warping effects of its alien energies as it attempts to cross over. Instinct: gain power

• seek poweer through dark dealings
• summon mawlings