J is for Justice, Judge, and Jabberwocky!

Ah, the Dungeon Master. The old saying, "Justice is blind" cannot apply to one's role as a judge. Oh, plenty of people throw out phrases like, "Let the dice fall where they may" and others like that that, but sometimes the story must take precedence. Does this mean that there is no chance of death when I DM? Far from it. But sometimes, sometimes, it is necessary not to be hard ass. Like, when the fate of the world hinges on one die roll. Like Count Rugen and Inigo Montoya.

I mean, by the book, Inigo should be dead. What does the DM do? This is the culmination of a life quest.

Ah, I'm a little disjointed today. Woke up with a migraine and I'm still hurting; but I think you get my point.

And now, today's monster is dedicated to my daughter Katherine. Her one-act play from UIL this year was "Alice in Wonderland." Therefore, I present you with the Jabberwock!

JABBERWOCKY

Lewis Carroll

(from Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There, 1872)
`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
  Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
  And the mome raths outgrabe.

"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
  The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
  The frumious Bandersnatch!"

He took his vorpal sword in hand:
  Long time the manxome foe he sought --
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
  And stood awhile in thought.
And, as in uffish thought he stood,
  The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
  And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two! And through and through
  The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
  He went galumphing back.

"And, has thou slain the Jabberwock?
  Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!'
  He chortled in his joy.

`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves

  Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;

All mimsy were the borogoves,

  And the mome raths outgrabe.

EDIT: Tim Brannan also did the Jabberwock today, statted up for the Victorian Ghosts RPG instead. You can find his blog, The Other Side, here.

Jabberwock

AC: 2 [17]                                      Special: Blinding gaze, confusion aura

HD: 8                                              Move: 4/12 (when flying)
Attacks: Claws/bite                       HDE/XP: 10/1400



The Jabberwock is huge, ungainly beast that constantly burbles out a stream of nonsense that affects all foes within 30 feet as if by a confusion spell. If anyone is foolish enough to look the jabberwock in the eye, its eyes of flame blind the adventurer for 2d6 rounds. If the jabberwock hits a target with both of its claw attacks (1d6+1 each), it will immediately follow up with his bite attack (2d6). The jabberwock's chief weakness, due to its long neck, is to vorpal blades, which will decapitate the jabberwock on a result of 18, 19, or 20.




Vorpal Blade
Vorpal blades are extremely rare magic weapons that confer a +3 bonus to hit and damage. On a natural 20 of the die, however, the vorpal blade decapitates its target. Note also that vorpal blades are inevitably two-handed swords, thus causing its wielder to forego the use of a shield.