Monsters of Deshret
by WingofCootIn city-states around the powerful mages and clerics of Deshret, and around the many ruins of the land, a variety of magic-associated monsters can be found, such as constructs (Gargoyles, Golems, Living Statues, etc.) and summoned creatures (Aerial Servants, Djinn, Efreet, Elementals, Invisible Stalkers, etc.)
In the more mundane wilderness of Deshret (the Low Desert, hills and mountains, and the cold deserts of Upper Deshret), frequently encountered monsters may include - beyond ordinary wildlife (such as normal-sized insects, spiders, and scorpions, small lizards and snakes, and so on) - the following creatures:
Basilisk: Low Desert, Hills/Mountains, cold deserts of Upper Deshret
Beetle, Giant (any): Hills/Mountains
Centipede, Giant: Hills/Mountains
Cockatrice: Low Desert, Hills/Mountains, cold deserts of Upper Deshret
Dragon (Amber, Gold): Anywhere, including city-states (in human form)
Dragon (Blue, Sapphire): Any wilderness
Dragon (Crystal, White): cold deserts of Upper Deshret
Desert Ghost: Low Deserts, cold deserts of Upper Deshret
Earth Elementals: Low Deserts, or wherever summoned
Gnolls: Hills/Mountains of Upper Deshret only
Gorgon: Low Desert, cold deserts of Upper Deshret
Lizard, Giant (Gecko): Hills/Mountains
Medusa: Low Desert, cold deserts of Upper Deshret
Scorpion, Giant: Hills/Mountains
Snake (Spitting Cobra, Giant Racer, Rock Python): Hills/Mountains
Wyvern: Hills/Mountains
Accursed Barrens: Due to the transforming effects of the Warping, any monster can be encountered in the Accursed Barrens, even if it would otherwise be completely unsuited to the environment - the Warping may turn ordinary native creatures into bizarre forms, and ensure they can survive in the Accursed Barrens.
In addition, a great number of monsters not described can be found there, far too many to list, and many of these are unique mutations anyway rather than members of a species. For these, the statistics of some other, published monster can be used with a different description. For example, an outlaw mutated by the Warping might use the statistics of an ogre or troll; a stray cow changed into a gigantic and aggressive horned monster might use the statistics of a triceratops. The nature and the danger of the Warping is that it can make *anything* into a monster; even a normal chicken or duck might become an eight-foot-tall terror bird, perhaps one with a poisonous bite as well. Note that undead are not immune to the Warping!
Adding the effects of the Warping to an already powerful monster or NPC can create foes to challenge even the highest level characters. A huge dragon, a nightshade, or a Master-level character with several physical changes and additional powers from the Warping can become a truly overwhelming monstrosity.
For example
Ghiir'drakh, Golden Nightmare of the West
Huge gold dragon (22 HD, 100 HP, talking and spellcasting) with the following changes:
Increased size
Extra appendages: Two additional heads (and thus three bite attacks)
Additional monster ability: Regeneration as a troll (3 HP/round, starting 3rd round after being damaged, can't regenerate fire and acid)
Alignment: Chaotic
This enormous, hostile, maddened gold dragon - far larger than even an ordinary "huge" dragon, on par with the Dragon Rulers' physical forms - lairs in the westernmost major area of Accursed Barrens. Warded by Protection from Normal Missiles and Mirror Image, boosted by Haste, Ghiir'drakh can devastate whole armies.