Doing Classic Monsters Good: Medusa

Medusas

HD: 2*

AC: 12

Movement: Pedestrian

Attacks: Seething mass of snakes on her head can lash out and strike within arm's reach, dealing 1d4 and forcing a Save vs. Poison; -4 to Hit against armored opponents. Otherwise, as an ordinary human, using whatever tools she has available.

Special: Those who gaze upon the Medusa must Save vs. Petrification. This process begins as paralysis—particularly in the face and eye muscles, preventing manual operation of the eyelids—and takes 2 rounds. If line-of-sight is interrupted in the first round, the victim is restored to mobility within an exploration turn; if in the second round, they remain paralyzed until washed in spring or river water.

Behavior & Notes: The primary change or refinement here is to not turn her into a tank. The interesting thing with the Medusa is that when you realize you're up against a Medusa you're basically in a standoff position where you can't risk opening your eyes and so are limited by blindness and the resultant difficulty of coordinating, but if you stay in formation and prepare to strike anything that approaches then the Medusa can't really risk getting into weapons range. Giving her a boatload of HD as D&Ds tend to do kind of breaks this symmetry and gives the Medusa little reason to avoid close combat, which removes the most interesting part of her, which is that she's very old and very cunning and very tragic, and she knows this, and knows how to manipulate would-be heroes. 

She's also very aware of the fact that many are under the impression that her petrification only takes effect on eye contact, and will happily exploit this fact.

The mirror trick works, but she's wary of it. She will often carry bottles of ink, smoking censers, or blindfolds to counter mirror attacks. In fact, she will often strategically position mirror emplacements in her lair to project her image from afar, allowing her to petrify without putting herself in harm's way. 

A Medusa is a person-type monster, meaning she's a person. She could probably learn to become a Fighter-type or, Buddha help us all, a Magic-User. You know, it would actually kind of make sense for Projected Image to be a 6th-level spell if that image also petrified people.  

 

 

 

Notes on Hexen Fashion

 Common fabrics: linen, cotton, tweed, satin, corduroy - cords commonly used kind of like denim, a ubiquitous hard-wearing fashion perennial, common colors russet, olive drab, charcoal, dusty rose, indigo. Cloth-of-gold and cloth-of-silver are still in circulation. More complex alchemically treated metallics are seen as very modern, very neon—cloth-of-bismuth is a current fave amongst the urban youth set. 

Shirtwaists common - primarily worn by women, but a certain kind of metrosexual man might don one on occasion. Cravats, sometimes with lace, gauze, tulle, or satin ruffles, still rule the neckline, but are beginning to face encroachment from rising turtlenecks. Elaborately knotted ties and jewelry worn at the hollow of the throat at formal occasions.

Silk slip underclothes - dudou style. No particular reason, I just think they look cool. 

What we think of as the Western-style business suit coexists in about equal measures to the Nehru pattern, though of course it isn't called that in the Hex. Brocade and damask are still used by the very traditional and very chic.

The current style is small pant, big jacket or vice-versa, and slim-under-baggy. Earth and jewel tones are on trend. Fitted high-necked bodysuits, often elaborately printed, worn under overalls or short puffed jackets. Pants are currently predominantly slim and high-waisted; skirts pencil-thin or pleated, but stiff or padded volumizing underskirts or rag liners are still worn to give a more dominant silhouette, in the same way that shoulder pads are used for tops. The overall style leans top-heavy, but those looking to invert the form might wear tight tops tucked into flared overalls, parachute pants, or sirwal. 

Cross-collared over-robes—think kimono and kosode—were in in the '70s but are considered outdated. They were a lot more colorful back then too. Subcultural dress associated with the popular musical act The Rainbow Brigade; fans are called "brigs" and wore flowing coats and robes over cords. Now we see a lot of darker colors: maroons, forest-greens, navy-blues. 

Frogging! Frogging in all sorts of colors and lusters. I think frogging is fun. 

Hats? The alewife hat (a stereotypical pointed, broad-brimmed "witch hat") is always in style. Berets, naturally. Something akin to the baseball hat, a tight, stiff-billed skullcap with an adjustable buckle tie in the back. The plumed slouch or cavalier hat maintains a knightly and bushidic association. The gat (the Korean hat, not the slang term for handgun) is popular amongst the youth set, while the cloche and pillbox still rule high-class women's millinery. The billed kepi is strongly associated with military and the gendarmerie. 

Flapper-type diadems and fillets? Why not. Sometimes jeweled, sometimes plain, sometimes terrycloth for sporting occasions - unisex, for sure. Sometimes with the hanging diadem. Why shouldn't men wear funny things around their foreheads?  

I think we probably see a lot of fake and real spectacles. The eye, perception and knowledge, etc... are recurring themes in the setting, so there's a lot of fancy and "interesting" designs for both shades and regulars. Mirrorshades particularly significant, militant or dangerous implication - they reflect gaze attacks back. Lots of people wearing non-prescription lenses for fashion reasons. Makeup looks center the eyes, a "classic" smokey eye with a nude lip and light contouring along the cheekbones and nose-bridge to create a gaunter, sharper look is actually quite traditional and old-fashioned, the kind of thing worn by serious people wanting to look serious. Bringing pastels, glitters, and shines into the mix makes it more modern. Color on the lips is considered a bit more fashionable and scandalous - just as in clothing, metallics are very flash and now. 

Hair is big. That's one 80s affectation we can't quite get rid of. The perm is in, baby. Pearl and rhinestone hairnets are too. 

I'm tired. I think this is enough? 

I'll add art later.