"Good morning," the Thing in the Well calls, "And how are we doing this morning Mrs. Westmen?" -- "Just wonderfully. How have you been keeping, Thing?" -- "Fine, fine. A little peckish, a bit in the mood for, you know, a nibble, a bite to eat. But don't worry yourself, perfectly fine." -- "It's quite alright Thing, I was just thinking I should bring by some lunch. How does a ham sound?" -- "You are too kind Mrs. Westmen, just too kind..." -- The Thing in the Well has lived in the village for longer than anyone can remember. It is traditional to fix regular meals for the Thing, and to present it with a sheep or pig on special occasions. Years ago a boy went down the well on a dare. He never returned. The subject has not been broached in the presence of the Thing. Instinct: To devour

• Politely collect tribute
• Leverage townspeople through secrets
• Purify water
• Hide in darkened waters

"The Old Ones, they knew much. Not the alchemy of man nor the sorcery of warlocks and the like. No, this is the magic of gears and pulleys, the sorcery of science. Watch your every step in the tower: be wary or you may call to life the ancient defense systems. You'll know the Defenders have awoken long before you face them, that's for sure; they're louder than a stomping giant and their hulls scrape the stone walls. You'll hear them coming, I'm sure you can avoid them, go on in the tower. Me? I... I'll stay out here. Got to have a lookout post, right?"

Instinct: Destroy all Intruders! *click* Defend the domain!

• Display immense and uncaring strength
• Soldier on, ignoring all damage until the last
• Reveal a hidden function from the depths of its gearworks

The mating call of the otyugh is a horrible, blaring cry that sounds like a cross between an elephant dying and an over-eager vulture. The otyugh spends much of its time partly submerged in filthy water and prefers eating garbage over any other food. As a result, it often grows fat and strong on the offal of orcs, goblins and other cave-dwelling sub-humans. Get too close, however, and you’ll have one of its barbed tentacles dragging you into that soggy, razor-toothed maw. If you get away with your life, best get to a doctor, or your victory may be short lived. Instinct: To befoul

• Infect someone with filth fever
• Fling someone or something

Each individual shadow is actually a swarm of tiny, dust-sized demons. No one is quite sure where they come from, or how to kill them, but it is known that children of every species on every plane of existence know to fear the darkness . . . Instinct: To spread

• Devour flesh
• Impersonate voices
• Absorb knowledge from those it kills

Scarabaeus pyractomena! What a delightful creature—see how its carapace glitters in the light of our torches? Not too close now, they’re temperamental, you see. The fire in their belly isn’t just metaphorical, no. Watch as I goad the beast. Aha! A spout of flame! Unexpected, isn’t it? One of these creatures alone, if it comes up from below, can be a hellish nuisance to a farmstead or village. A whole swarm? There’s a reason they call it a conflagration of fire beetles. Instinct: To enflame

• Undermine the ground
• Burst from the earth
• Spray forth flames

Dragons are immutable fact, that cannot be denied. The planar spheres too, these exist and strange and weird horrors and otherworldly things dwell there. But few consider the same applies to dragons. Do not strange otherworldly vistas scarcely comprehensible by mortal minds not also have their own dragons? Why wouldn't they, if dragons are so powerful then the heavens and hells and... other places would have them too. Wretch Dragons come from the land of faerie, but not all the faeries are beautiful and enticing, some such as hags and other such wretched things seethed in hatred and malice and ugliness. Wretch Dragons too, engineered with all the finest curses and diseases that a fey mind can imagine, these creatures curse and befoul all that they touch. Luckily they tend to stick to their own realms which are already sick and horrific. Thank the gods. Instinct: To defile

• Warp space and souls with a roar of psychic power
• Curse your foes with every breath
• Wield curses with disquieting power
• Curse those that slay you to become you

Growing together in large groups, the man-trap is a large bushy plant that has a single flower growing in its center. If its thorns taste the blood of a passing creature, the flower opens up and attempts to swallow its prey! The plant's grasping vines and ability to release a thick cloud of pollen make it more formidable than it may initially appear. Instinct: to consume blood

• Swallow a creature in one huge bite
• Use vines to trip or ensnare prey
• Release a thick cloud of pollen

The giant mantis is a transmutation of its smaller cousins. Stalking the Forest of Regret, the mantis wants to devour anything it can grab in its grasping forearms! Instinct: to devour

• Restrain prey with its forearms, ready to devour!
• Bite into restrained prey
• Fly behind you

Yent is a centaur diplomat from Ysgard. Driven mad by the ripple effect, he seeks to end the life of Seliadon, a Harmonium elf. He will pass out before he dies. Instinct: To kill his debate opponent

• Gallop freely

Rats modified by Mindflayers to gain psionic powers. In a swarm, their collective intelligence grows until they are able to cast spells. Instinct: To find scraps of food

• Grow intelligent in a swarm
• Cast a wizard spell