10 Monster Setting - Dreadshores

(All of the creatures I chose come from Paizo's Bestiary 3, made for the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game).

Pick a semi-intelligent humanoid (could be goblins, ape men, subhumans, etc.). - Pukwudgie
Pick an undead. - Sea Bonze
Pick a giant/ogre/troll race. - Hekatonkheires
Pick a type of great wyrm or lizard. - Grootslang
Pick something aerial. - Stymphalidies
Pick something to lurk in the water. - Globster
Pick something from another dimension (demon, gith, illithid). - Grodair
Pick an ancient fey race. - Rusalka
Pick a classic creature from Greek mythology (medusa, satyr, minotaur, etc.). - Faun
Pick some foul crawly thing that infests the underworld - Sea Anenome

Copyright Wizards of the Coast

The Dreadshore is a bleak and misty place. Humanity clutches to the rotted, barely habitable shores of the poisoned waters of the Rotlake.

Pukwudgies - Goblin-like creatures who crawl from the Rotlake. Covered in Sea-Urchin spines that animate any humans they kill into zombies. Treated as pests of the worst sort and the reason that inhabitants of Dreadshore go out of their way to kill any sea urchins they find on the off chance they could be pukwudgie eggs. Pukwudgies constantly steal from and harass human settlements.

Sea Bonze - Strange, ethereal undead who haunt any boats still upon the Rotlake after nightfall. Known to offer strange games of chance or riddles to sailors on the promise of not sinking their vessels. The reason why no business is done on the Rotlake after sunset.

Hekatonkheires - The many armed colossal mutants who stalk the fields on the boundary of the Dreadshores. Eat humans. Their presence prevent travel further inland, keeping humanity trapped on the Dreadshores.

Grootslang - Strange cross between an elephant seal and a snake. Venomous tusks combined with monstrous strength makes even simple travel impossible when they swarm to the shores during their mating season. However, their blubber is an important source of fuel for industry and helps stave off the killing frost of winter.

Stymphalidies - Man-eating giant pelican-cranes with metallic feathers. Hunted by humans known as Fletchers who use their feathers to make weapons. An important resource of the Dreadshore, as there are no mines or other reliable sources of metal.

Globster - Foul elementals made from the Rotlake itself. Form when too much refuse and corpses collect into a single part of the Lake. Junk-trawlers work tirelessly to prevent them from spawning and sell any usable scrap in one of the many shore markets.

Grodair - A strange, inter-dimensional mutant fish that crawls on tentacles made of purified water. A bulbous, magical sac pulsates from beneath its spine. This organ can contain thousands of gallons of fresh water. Schools of Grodair will often appear somewhere along the Dreadshore and attempt to lazily make their way into the Rotlake. Grodair are absolutely vital to the citizens of Dreadshore as their magical sacs are the only source of drinkable water.  Hunters called Morticians carefully kill and extract Grodair water-organs without rupturing them, as doing so would waste the precious water and can cause a disastrous flood.

Rusalka - Strange, beautiful creatures also known as the Drowned Folk. Come in two varieties. The first are savage cave-dwelling witches who sometimes offer dark pacts of protection for one of the lonely towns on the Dreadshore. The second are cruel nobles who ride in carriages drawn by all manner of monstrous rot-lake mutants. Sometimes, desperate would-be heroes will attempt to rob the carriage of a Rusalka, as legend has it that their jewelry can grant the wearer powerful magical abilities.

Fauns - A cross between a satyr and a mermaid. Descendants of the Capricorn and one of the only sane creatures able to dwell in the waters of the Rotlake. Rarely ever interact with humans. Their tears are said to be an important ingredient to creating a Philosopher's Stone.

Sea Anemones - The underwater caves of the Rotlake are said to possess many treasures, but the every Diver knows the dangers they possess. The anemones within produce a strange, powerful hallucinogen that makes those affected see only the welcoming arms of their most beloved- instead of the toxic lashes of these skeletal horrors.

Copyright Wizards of the Coast

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The Humans of Dreadshore

What they look like: Somber. Muscular. Long, clumped, gray hair covered in salt and brine. Men usually have unkempt beards. Almost everyone smokes a pipe.

What they wear: Long raincoats. Heavy boots. Head coverings of either a tricorne cap or a hood.


What they sound like: Efficient. Pragmatic. Words are whispered if close or shouted over the crashing waves. No evocative or romantic phrases.