D100 Carnivorous Ape Encounters Table For OSR Games & Castles & Crusades D100 Sword & Sorcery Table, Lair, & Awakened Shaman NPC

 In Castles & Crusades, carnivorous apes represent a primal, savage threat often found in lost jungles, ancient ruins, or subterranean "hollow earth" environments. These encounters range from simple predators to cursed guardians and mutated monstrosities.

Dead Earth Mutant Ape Mini's here. 

D100 Carnivorous Ape Encounters

d100	Encounter Description
01-10	Simple Predator: 1d6 Great Apes (as per C&C Monsters & Treasure) stalking the party from the canopy. They use a surprise round to drop from above.
11-18	The Silverback King: A massive, HD 8 specimen with maximum hit points. It protects a small troop of non-combatant females and young. It will puff its chest and roar before attacking.
19-25	Frenzied Manglers: 2d4 apes infected with a blood-rage parasite. They gain +2 to hit but -2 to AC, and will not flee regardless of morale.
26-32	Tool Users: 1d6 apes wielding primitive clubs or sharpened bones (damage 1d8). They have learned to throw stones for 1d4 damage at range.
33-39	White Apes of the Deep: A subterranean variant with pale fur and blindsight. They are completely silent and attempt to snatch the person at the back of the marching order.
40-46	The Trap-Makers: These apes have learned to dig pit traps or rig falling log snares along the trail to disable prey before descending.
47-53	Girallon Pack: 1d3 four-armed carnivorous apes. If they hit with two or more claws, they "rend" for an additional 2d6 damage.
54-60	Cursed Guardians: Apes wearing rusted bronze collars or jewelry. They guard a specific idol or temple entrance and will only attack if the party approaches the threshold.
61-67	Ape-Ghoul Hybrid: Undead apes with the paralysis touch of a ghoul. They smell of rot and their fur is matted with grave dirt.
68-74	The Mimics: A group of 1d4 apes that have learned to mimic human screams for help to lure adventurers into an ambush.
75-81	Symbiotic Swarm: A great ape covered in "Stirges" or "Giant Ticks." Attacking the ape in melee may cause the parasites to leap onto the player.
82-88	Awakened Shaman: A lone ape with 3rd-level Druid or Cleric spells. It views the party as an affront to the "Old Gods of the Jungle."
89-94	Bred for War: 1d4 apes wearing pieced-together scraps of leather armor (AC 15). They are led by a cruel Orc or Hobgoblin "Beastmaster."
95-98	The Winged Terror: A rare, gargantuan ape with leathery bat wings. It attempts to grapple a target and drop them from 50 feet up.
99-00	Ancient God-Ape: A gargantuan, HD 12 creature (size Large or Huge). It is treated as a minor deity by locals. Its roar requires a CL 12 Charisma save or players are Stunned for 1 round.

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Mechanical Flavor for C&C

When running these encounters, remember that apes in Castles & Crusades emphasize Strength and Dexterity checks.

• The Brachiation Advantage: Apes ignore difficult terrain in forest/jungle settings. If they have the high ground (in trees), give them a +2 bonus to hit against targets on the forest floor.

• The Rend: If a Great Ape hits with both "Slam" or "Claw" attacks in a single round, consider allowing them a free "Rend" for $1d6 + \text{STR modifier}$ damage to emphasize their primal power.

In Castles & Crusades, an Awakened Shaman represents a terrifying middle ground between beast and high intelligence. This creature has been touched by a primal spirit or ancient magic, granting it the ability to channel the raw power of the jungle.

Ape Shaman (Awakened)

Reaper Miniatures 77433 Yeti Shaman, Bones Miniature

Ape Shaman (Awakened)

Size: Large

HD: $5d8 + 10$ (hp 32)

AC: 15 (natural hide + high dexterity)

Attacks: 2 Slams (1d6+4) or by Spell

Primal Attribute: Strength, Wisdom

Move: 30 ft., Climb 30 ft.

Save: Physical/Mental

Alignment: Neutral (usually territorial or protective)

XP: 350 + 5/hp

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Special Abilities

• Brachiation: The Shaman moves through trees at its full movement speed and gains a +2 bonus to AC against ground-based missile fire while in the canopy.

• Awakened Mind: Unlike standard apes, the Shaman speaks a guttural form of Druidic or Sylvan. It cannot be fooled by simple animal-calming magic.

• Spellcasting: The Shaman casts spells as a 3rd-level Druid.

  • Typical Spells Prepared:

    • Level 0: Detect Magic, First Aid, Know Direction

    • Level 1: Entangle (using vines/roots), Pass Without Trace

    • Level 2: Barkskin (already factored into AC above), Heat Metal (targets armor/weapons of "civilized" intruders)

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Combat Tactics

The Shaman rarely fights alone; it is usually accompanied by 1d4 mundane Great Apes. It stays in the high branches, using Entangle to trap the party on the forest floor before descending to pick off the weakest member. If forced into melee, it uses its massive strength to slam opponents, but will cast Barkskin on itself immediately if it senses a prolonged fight.

Flavor Hook: The Bone Staff

The Shaman often carries a staff made from the thigh bone of a long-dead giant. While it functions as a +1 club in its hands, the staff is also a Focus. If the Shaman is slain and the staff is broken, a Cloud of Confusion (as the spell) is released, covering a 20ft radius as the trapped spirits within are freed.

In Castles & Crusades, the Shaman’s sacred grove is an extension of its will. On Initiative Count 0 (at the end of every round), the Shaman can trigger one of the following effects. These represent the jungle itself rising up to defend its master.

Shaman’s Sacred Grove: Lair Actions

• Grabbing Vines: Thick, thorny vines lash out at all "civilized" creatures within 30 feet of the Shaman. Targets must succeed on a DEX Save (CL 5) or be Entangled. Entangled creatures cannot move and suffer a -2 penalty to hit until they spend an action to break free with a successful STR check.

• Howling Echoes: The Shaman lets out a piercing cry that is amplified by the strange acoustics of the grove. Everyone within 60 feet must make a WIS Save (CL 5). Failure results in being Shaken (-2 to all rolls) for 1d4 rounds as primal fear takes hold.

• Toxic Spores: A cluster of giant fungi bursts near a random player. The target must make a CON Save (CL 5). On a failure, their vision becomes blurred and psychedelic; they suffer a 50% miss chance on all attacks for 1 round.

• Canopy Drop: The Shaman commands the very trees to shed their weight. Heavy coconuts, rotted branches, or jagged seed pods rain down in a 20ft radius. All creatures in the area take 2d6 bludgeoning damage (Half damage on a successful DEX Save (CL 5)).

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Environmental Features of the Grove

To make the encounter more tactical, consider adding these elements to your map:

Feature	Mechanical Effect
Slippery Moss	Moving more than half speed requires a DEX check or the player falls prone.
Pungent Blooms	While within 5ft of these flowers, spellcasters must make a WIS check to maintain concentration.
Ancient Monoliths	Provides Cover (+4 AC) against ranged attacks and can be "toppled" with a high STR check to crush enemies.

Note on CL (Challenge Level): The CL 5 used above assumes a party of levels 3-5. If your party is higher level, simply adjust the CL to match the Shaman's HD + any difficulty modifiers you prefer.

 In a Sword & Sorcery setting like Castles & Crusades, loot should feel ancient, heavy, and often slightly unsettling. Gold is rarely just "coins"—it is the currency of fallen empires—and magic items should feel like unique artifacts rather than mass-produced gear.

D100 Sword & Sorcery Loot Table

d100	Item Description
01-10	The Slain’s Purse: 3d20 silver pieces, a notched bronze dagger, and a pouch of dried, hallucinogenic lotus petals.
11-18	Blood-Stained Tribute: 1d100 gold pieces of an extinct kingdom (stamped with a serpent profile) and a heavy copper neck-torque (worth 15gp).
19-25	The Alchemist’s Blunder: 2 ceramic globes. One contains Naptha (deals 1d8 fire damage when thrown), the other contains a failed "Elixir of Life" that acts as a deadly paralytic poison.
26-32	Tribal Relics: A necklace of 12 oversized predator teeth (each worth 1gp to a collector) and a shield made from a giant tortoise shell (Small Shield, +1 AC).
33-39	The Sorcerer's Baubles: A pouch of "True Silver" dust (worth 50gp) and a glass eye that glows faintly when undead are within 30 feet.
40-46	Warlord’s Kit: A masterwork bronze shortsword with a pommel shaped like a roaring lion, and a tattered map leading to a "Tombs of the Moon" (15% chance it's accurate).
47-53	Stolen Divinity: A solid gold idol of a forgotten ape-god (weight 10 lbs, worth 200gp). It is heavy, conspicuous, and likely cursed (CL 5 Charisma save or the bearer becomes "Teritorial").
54-60	Primal Regalia: A cloak made from the hide of a displacer-beast. It doesn't grant invisibility, but it grants a +1 bonus to Save vs. Spells.
61-67	The Black Lotus Jar: A sealed clay jar containing a thick, black resin. If burned, it allows a user to "Dream Walk" (as Scrying), but costs 1 point of Constitution permanently.
68-74	Ancient Map & Key: A heavy iron key shaped like a claw and a vellum scroll written in a dead language that describes the location of a hidden "Sky-City."
75-81	Obsidian Weapons: 1d4 obsidian-tipped javelins. They grant +1 to hit due to their unnatural sharpness, but shatter and become useless on a natural roll of 1 or 2.
82-88	Casket of Gems: 2d6 uncut rubies found in the belly of a beast (worth 25gp each) and a silver ring set with a "Star Sapphire" (worth 150gp).
89-94	Artifact of the Elders: A Staff of the Python (as per C&C M&T), but it appears as a gnarled wooden branch that constantly weeps a thick, green sap.
95-98	The Hero’s Remnant: A suit of "Scale Mail" made from dragon-fish scales (AC 15, no movement penalty) and a belt buckle that grants +1 to STR checks.
99-00	The Star-Metal Blade: A longsword forged from a fallen meteorite. It ignores the damage reduction of supernatural creatures and glows with a pale blue light in the presence of sorcery.

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Implementation Tip: The Weight of Wealth

In Sword & Sorcery, wealth is often a burden.

• Bulk: If the players find the "God-Idol" (Roll 47-53), don't just record the gold value. Make them describe how they are carrying a 10lb golden monkey through a jungle while being hunted by the Shaman's remaining kin.

• The Cost of Sorcery: Any "magic" item on this list (like the Star-Metal Blade or Black Lotus) should feel dangerous. Characters might find that using these items draws the attention of rival sorcerers or extra-planar entities