"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

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

After escaping from a visiting circus many years ago, these monkeys have somehow learned to live and thrive in the city bowels. Fur bleached white from strange chemicals, they are small, mean, and sharp toothed. Many larger animals have learned the hard way that it's best avoid their territory and stay out of their path. Instinct: To defend territory

• Overpower through numbers
• Infect wounds

Some are wont to lump these little, rat-like dragon-men in with goblins and orcs, bugbears and hobgoblins. They are smarter and wiser than their kin, however. The kobolds are beholden slaves to dragons and were, in ancient times, their lorekeepers and sorcerer-servants. Their clans, with names like Ironscale and Whitewing, form around a dragon master and live to serve and do its bidding. Spotting a kobold means more are near—and if more are near then a mighty dragon cannot be far, either. Instinct: To serve dragons

• Lay a trap
• Call on dragons or draconic allies
• Retreat and regroup

Lurking in dark crevices in cave walls and ceilings, hunting boas lie in wait for warm-blooded prey. They attack in twos and threes, coordinating their efforts. Their bite is merely a means to secure a hold - once achieved, the boas quickly wrap around their victim and relentlessly tighten their grip. Suffocation ensues. Instinct: To constrict and devour

• Hide curled up in cave walls and ceilings
• Ambush them
• Wrap around and suffocate them

Trying to revert death and continue to learn more of the dark art. The human necromancer wants to be able to conquer death. Instinct: to gain power

• Escape to Fight Another Day
• Reveal Preparation or Plan
• Create Undead Servant

Human soldiers in huge armies. Instinct: To defend himself and his country

• Attacks opponents
• Humans are dirty: they'll trip you, bite you, pull at your hair, stab you in weak spots, set traps, ambush you, throw rocks, set fires, run away, throw swords, and weapons at you, etc., etc.
• They congregate into armies of thousands and thousands
• They literally call for help

When desperation drives a man to feast on his own, he must be banished. The cannibals live a pityful existence on the fringes of their old steadings, banding together only to hunt. Instinct: to feast on raw meat

• Stalk the stragglers
• Pretend to be a friend
• "Looks like meat's back on the menu!" - call for help

A dragon-like monster that tries to remain solitary. It will avoid humans, not attack them. Instinct: To defend itself

• Attacks people