#willawaw

[stingrayextraordinaire]

Scooby-Doo Villains Moodboards // Willawaw

When the owl calls your name, he swoops out of the skies to carry you away.

[thecreaturecodex]

Vord

Image © @tredlocity​

[Commissioned by @crazytrain48​, again from Arduin. In the original text, vords are said to be enemies of the “great golden owls” or “great white owls” (the name differs between editions). The commissioner thought that would be a good fit for the willawaw I did a few years ago, and I agreed. The biggest change I made from the original has to do with its reproduction; the original was also a parasitoid, but injected blood which turned into eggs (weird, more like an aberration), the eggs took months to hatch (realistic, but never going to come up at the game table) and hatched dozens of them at a time (how small are baby vords?)]

Vord CR 8 CN Magical Beast This enormous bird appears like a black falcon with luminous green streaks in its feathers. Its claws and beak are like emerald crystal.

Vords are capricious magical avians with a strange parasitoid life cycle. Their reproduction involves paralyzing other creatures and laying their eggs inside, which hatch in a matter of hours as voracious chicks, which then burst from the host. All vords are hermaphroditic, but not self-fertilizing. The similarity in reproductive strategies has led some scholars to link vord to the similarly avian parasitoids the gryph, but vords are much stronger and semi-intelligent.

Unlike many birds of prey, vords are social hunters, and travel in small flocks. These flocks typically consist of a group of siblings, mates, or some of each. They attack with hit and run tactics combined with their Great Cleave feat, attempting to claw multiple foes at once and inject them with their paralytic toxin. When all enemies are paralyzed, they descend to lay their eggs. If some foes still fight back, they land in order to buffet them with full attacks, and then lay eggs in any victim still paralyzed when they are finished.

Because of their strength, size and speed, some humanoids attempt to tame vords to use as mounts. This is a foolish errand, and the strong willed creatures will usually attempt to overthrow and parasitize such exploiters at the first opportunity. Vords resent structure or rules of any kind, and especially dislike other avian creatures that attempt to control them. Their most bitter enemies are the willawaws, which try to curb their predations. Williwaws are intelligent and have magical gifts, but their isolationist attitude can prove fatal to them when confronted with a gang of vords.

A vord’s wingspan is between thirty and forty feet. They prefer to hunt in open spaces and nest in crags and cliffs.

Vord       CR 8 XP 4,800 CN Huge magical beast Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, Perception +16 Defense AC 22, touch 11, flat-footed 19 (-2 size, +3 Dex, +11 natural) hp 105 (10d10+50) Fort +12, Ref +12, Will +5 Immune fear, paralysis; Resist electricity 10, sonic 10 Offense Speed 30 ft., fly 120 ft. (average) Melee bite +14 (2d6+6), 2 claws +14 (1d8+6 plus paralysis), 2 wings +9 (1d8+3) Space 15 ft.; Reach 10 ft. Special Attacks implant eggs, lingering paralysis, paralysis (1d4+1 rounds, Fort DC 20) Statistics Str 23, Dex 16, Con 20, Int 5, Wis 15, Cha 16 Base Atk +10; CMB +18; CMD 31 Feats Cleave, Flyby Attack (B), Great Cleave, Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Power Attack Skills Fly +6, Perception +16, Stealth +9; Racial Modifiers +8 Perception, +8 Stealth Languages Auran Ecology Environment cold and temperate hills Organization solitary, pair or flock (3-6) Treasure incidental Special Abilities Implant Eggs (Ex) A vord can lay its eggs inside a helpless or paralyzed host. As a full-round action, the vord extends an ovipositor from its abdomen and penetrates the victim's flesh by making a successful sting attack (+14 melee). On a hit, the ovipositor deals 1d3 point of damage and implants 1d4 eggs in the victim. The eggs draw nutrients from the target's flesh, and give the target the sickened condition. The eggs grow swiftly, hatching in 1d4 hours into ravenous vord chicks that immediately burrow out of the victim's body. This deals 4 points of Constitution damage per chick, after which the hatchlings immediately take wing and fly away (if needed, use game statistics for a hawk familiar to represent a hatchling). Removing an implanted egg requires a DC 20 Heal check over the course of a minute’s work; each attempt deals 1d4 hit point of damage whether it succeeds or fails. Although immunity to disease offers no special protection against vord egg implantation, remove disease, heal, or similar effects automatically destroy any implanted vord eggs. Lingering Paralysis (Ex) A creature that is paralyzed by a vord must succeed a second DC 20 Fortitude save at the end of the paralysis effect’s duration. If it succeeds, it is no longer paralyzed. If it fails, it is paralyzed for an additional 1d100 minutes. The save DC is Constitution based.

[thecreaturecodex]

Willawaw

Still from “Watch Out! The Willawaw!”, accessed at Scoobypedia here

[Commissioned by @glarnboudin When I was a kid in the 90s, I thought of The Scooby-Doo Show as “the last good Scooby-Doo”. Even at seven, I hated Scrappy Doo with a passion. Through adult eyes, The Scooby-Doo Show is a decidedly mixed bag. The humor is even broader and more slapstick than the original Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?, and Fred, Velma and Daphne are even flatter characters. On the other hand, the character animation is more fluid, and the creature design more ambitious, than the original series. There’s more monsters that are non-humanoid, like the Willawaw here, which is a rocket-powered balloon.]

Willawaw CR 9 LN Magical Beast This great bird appears to be a silver-feathered, horse sized owl, with luminous eyes and an aura of sparks surrounding it. It emits a horrible screech.

A willawaw is a spiritual owl-like creature that considers itself the guardian of wild places. Each willawaw has an expansive territory which they happily share with animals, plants and fey, but they reject the trappings of civilization. They are not inherently hostile to humanoids, but do distrust them unless they pay proper respect. Humanoids intending to exploit their homelands for resources are driven away or even killed.

A willawaw is able to attune its senses with those of birds in their territory, and they can spy on their lands from afar whenever they choose. A willawaw’s lair is typically well hidden and guarded for this purpose, as the creature is comatose and vulnerable while riding inside another bird. They are frequently friendly with giant owls, who see them as smaller but more powerful cousins. They do not typically get along with thunderbirds; willawaws consider thunderbirds vain and glory-seeking, and thunderbirds see willawaws as stodgy and conservative.

In combat, a willawaw opens with its horrible shriek, scattering enemies in a panic and then targeting those who resist. Creatures that get too close to a willawaw are electrified and illuminated, as plasma from the willawaw’s body expands and covers them. A willawaw’s favorite tactic is simply to pick up an enemy, carry them far away and leave them elsewhere—dropping them from a high height if they especially annoy the beast. Against those that seek to despoil a willawaw’s land, however, it is merciless, striking with magically created thunder and lightning.

A willawaw has a wingspan of twenty feet and stands seven feet tall. They can live for centuries if not slain in combat.

Willawaw            CR 9 XP 6,400 LN Large magical beast (air) Init +9; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, Perception +20 Aura spark corona (10 ft., Fort DC 22) Defense AC 22, touch 14, flat-footed 17 (-1 size, +4 Dex, +1 dodge, +8 natural) hp 114 (12d10+48) Fort +12, Ref +12, Will +9 DR 10/wood; Immune electricity, sonic Offense Speed 20 ft., fly 120 ft. (average) Melee 2 talons +15 (2d6+4/19-20 plus grab), bite +15 (1d8+4) Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft. Special Attacks mobile grappler, shriek Spell-like Abilities CL 10th, concentration +13 Constant—speak with animals (birds only) At will—charm animal (DC 14, birds only), detect thoughts (DC 15), sound burst (DC 15) 3/day—lightning bolt (DC 16), quickened shocking grasp 1/day—commune with nature, shout (DC 17) Statistics Str 19, Dex 18, Con 18, Int 15, Wis 21, Cha 16 Base Atk +12; CMB +17 (+21 grappling); CMD 32 Feats Dodge, Flyby Attack, Mobility, Power Attack, Quicken SLA (shocking grasp), Wingover Skills Fly +13, Intimidate +11, Knowledge (local) +10, Knowledge (nature) +10, Perception +20, Sense Motive +20; Racial Modifiers +4 Perception, +4 Sense Motive Languages Auran, Druidic, Sylvan SQ avian rider, insightful senses Ecology Environment temperate forests Organization solitary or council (1 plus 1-10 giant owls) Treasure standard Special Abilities Avian Rider (Su) As a standard action, a willawaw can cast its mind into another bird and observe through its senses. This functions as the riding possession spell, except that the range is 1 mile per caster level (10 miles for the average willawaw) and only affects birds. An unwilling bird can resist this effect with a DC 19 Will save. The save DC is Charisma based. Damage Reduction (Ex) Only a weapon with a striking surface made primarily of wood overcomes a willawaw’s damage reduction. Insightful Senses (Su) A willawaw gains its Wisdom bonus on all Initiative checks. Mobile Grappler (Ex) If a willawaw makes a combat maneuver check to move an opponent it is grappling, it can move its full speed. Shriek (Ex) As a standard action, a willawaw can give a horrible screech. All creatures within 60 feet must succeed a DC 19 WIll save or be panicked and deafened for 1 minute. On a successful save, the creature is merely shaken for 1 round. A creature that succeeds on this save is immune to the screech of that willawaw for the next 24 hours. This is a sonic fear effect, and the save DC is Charisma based. Spark Corona (Su) A willawaw is surrounded by an electrical aura. All creatures within 10 feet of a willawaw must succeed a DC 22 Fortitude save or take 2d6 points of electricity damage. A creature that takes this damage is illuminated as if by faerie fire for 1 minute. A willawaw can suppress or activate this aura as a swift action. The save DC is Constitution based.

[scoobydoomistakes]

I just want to exert my appreciation for you and your cat and this blog because they all are helping me slowly build a friendship with the girl next to me in class. I believe we both have an underlying love for old animation and MST3K-style riffing. Thanks for a *very* giggly 40 minutes!!

That… is… wonderful.

Since this was sent in non-anonymously, though, and privacy clearly isn’t a concern… I’m guessing there’s some plan for when this post goes live?

“Wait, is that about us?”

“Yup!”

“That guy and his cat are friendship co-conspirators?”

“Yyyup!”

SDM: bringing the world together, one riff at a time. 

–Colin (photo blog | instagram)

[scoobydoomistakes]

I’m try to snack while looking through this blog but I keep chocking on my food, you’re hilarious!

Surgeon General’s Warning: eating is not advised when viewing SDM posts, as one is either likely to–

–get too hungry from seeing all those sandwiches made entirely of bread and lettuce…

…or do a gorgeous-frame-induced spit take.

Huge thanks as always, though, for the nice messages,  

–and for those who seem to worry they’re somehow being a nuisance, I love nothing more than hearing that SDM’s makin’ people happy!

I’m still filling up the folder of nice things said to practice focusing on positives, so fun stories and the like are always welcome.

–Colin (photo blog | instagram)

[doocentral]

Watch out! The Willawaw!!!