Bayou Tuesdays: The Oozing Horrors Beneath

(Image: A murky, red-tinted image of a dark, dripping sewer tunnel, or a swamp with strange, unsettling bubbles breaking a blood-red surface, representing the general theme of these locales.)

Welcome back to Bayou Tuesdays, folks. Today, we're not talking about gators or voodoo spirits, but something far more insidious, something that thrives on what we leave behind. We're delving into the festering depths where life and waste congeal into a horrifying reality: the Oozes.

Whether it's the choked, forgotten sewers of Npcturnis City, the desolate Voidspire Swamp within Npcturnis, the stagnant, primeval swamps of our very own Bayou, or the grim, cursed waters of the Blood Bayou, these amorphous horrors are born from the refuse of existence. They are the ultimate environmental statement, the living consequence of decay, pollution, and unchecked primal energies.

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What Are These Things? (OpenD6 Stats Included!)

In your OpenD6 games, we're talking about more than just slimy blobs. These are highly specialized biological (or sometimes magical) nightmares, and they're here to break down everything you hold dear. Here's a look at the core types we're discussing, complete with their OpenD6 stats:

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1. Foul Sludge (The "Poop Pudding" of Your Nightmares)

The congealed, reeking byproduct of accumulated organic decay, corrosive to flesh and metal alike. The stench alone can turn a stomach.

Think of the absolute worst-case scenario for sanitation in a war-torn district, or the concentrated, corrosive byproduct of a dying dimension. This reeking mass actively dissolves organic matter, metal, and even stone. Hit it with electricity or a blade, and it might just split into more, smaller nightmares.

• In Npcturnis City's sewers, it's the living, putrid heart of urban decay, perhaps even feeding on psychic detritus left by its populace.
• In the Voidspire Swamp, this sludge might be a terrifying byproduct of failed arcane rituals or the decay of corrupted, ancient flora.
• In the Blood Bayou, this sludge could literally be formed from spilled blood, ancient sacrifices, or the aftermath of brutal brutal conflicts, giving it a more aggressive, perhaps even predatory, nature.

Foul Sludge (Medium-sized, adjust for larger forms)

Attributes:

• Dexterity: 1D
• Knowledge: 0D
• Mechanical: 0D
• Perception: 1D (Blindsight 10m)
• Strength: 4D
• Technical: 0D
• Physique: 3D (determines Body Points)

Skills:

• Brawling: Strength +1D (e.g., 5D)
• Dodge: 1D
• Stamina: Physique +1D

Special Abilities:

• Amorphous: Can squeeze through any opening that isn't airtight. Immune to critical hits from physical attacks.
• Corrosive Body: Any non-organic item (metal, wood, leather, most plastics) that touches or is immersed in the ooze takes 2D acid damage per round. Armor takes damage first.
• Immunity: Acid, Poison, Cold. Immune to Charm, Frighten, Prone, Stunned, Unconscious.
• Ooze Traits: Mindless (immune to mind-affecting effects), cannot be stunned or knocked unconscious by conventional means.
• Damage Resistance: 2D (vs. all physical damage, including non-magical piercing/slashing/bludgeoning)
• Split (Re-Roll): When hit by electrical or slashing damage, if the attack deals at least 5 points of damage after Damage Resistance, the ooze rolls a die. On a 1-3, it splits into two smaller oozes (each with half the original's Body Points, rounded down, minimum 1 Body Point). Each new ooze has -1D to Strength, to a minimum of 2D. If hit by fire damage, it can't split for 1 round.

Maneuvers:

• Pseudopod Slam (Attack): Strength + Brawling. Deals Strength+2D Bludgeoning Damage. On a successful hit, the target is Grappled (DC equal to ooze's Strength + Brawling roll). While grappled, the target is immersed in the ooze.
• Engulf (Special Attack): If a target is Grappled, at the start of the ooze's turn, the target takes Strength+3D acid damage. Organic items (clothing, flesh) are dissolved.

Move: 2 Body Points: 30 (for Medium-sized, adjust based on Physique and size category) Scale: Character

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2. Gelatinous Block (The Unseen Menace)

A transparent, slow-moving block of compacted environmental waste, it moves silently and absorbs anything that gets in its way.

Imagine a huge, near-transparent cube of compacted refuse, silently gliding through a tight tunnel or a murky waterway. It's not just trapping you; it's slowly digesting you and everything you carry.

• The Bayou’s stagnant waters could conceal these perfectly, formed from centuries of natural and unnatural sediment, while Npcturnis City might have them lurking in forgotten wastewater treatment facilities, remnants of failed civic engineering.
• In the Voidspire Swamp, these blocks might be formed from the solidified, toxic magical residue of whatever corrupted the swamp, moving silently through the dense, fetid vegetation.
• In the Blood Bayou, these blocks might be congealed masses of forgotten victims or the crystallized horror of ancient, cursed rituals, barely visible in the crimson waters.

Gelatinous Block (Large-sized, adjust for larger forms)

Attributes:

• Dexterity: 1D
• Knowledge: 0D
• Mechanical: 0D
• Perception: 1D (Blindsight 15m)
• Strength: 5D
• Technical: 0D
• Physique: 4D (determines Body Points)

Skills:

• Brawling: Strength +1D (e.g., 6D)
• Dodge: 1D
• Stamina: Physique +1D

Special Abilities:

• Amorphous: Can squeeze through any opening that isn't airtight. Immune to critical hits from physical attacks.
• Transparent: Very difficult to spot. Requires a successful Perception check (DC 15 or higher, depending on lighting/environment) to notice before touching or being hit.
• Immunity: Acid, Poison, Cold, Thunder. Immune to Charm, Frighten, Prone, Stunned, Unconscious.
• Ooze Traits: Mindless, cannot be stunned or knocked unconscious by conventional means.
• Damage Resistance: 3D (vs. all physical damage, including non-magical piercing/slashing/bludgeoning)

Maneuvers:

• Engulf (Attack): If the ooze moves over a creature or object, it can attempt to engulf it. The target must make a successful Dodge or Strength check (DC equal to the ooze's Strength + Brawling roll) or be Engulfed.
  • Engulfed: A creature is grappled (cannot escape without a successful Strength check vs. ooze's Strength+Brawling roll, or dealing enough damage to break free - GM's discretion, perhaps 1/4 Body Points). While engulfed, the creature takes Strength+2D acid damage at the start of each of the ooze's turns. Objects are dissolved at the same rate. Creatures inside are also subject to Suffocation rules.

Move: 1 Body Points: 40 (for Large-sized, adjust based on Physique and size category) Scale: Character

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3. Slime Slick (The Fast Spreader)

This isn't just a puddle; it's a rapidly moving sheet of living industrial runoff or magical waste.

Its primary threat is its Adhesive quality, sticking you in place, and its surprising speed.

• Picture it in the Bayou, a shimmering, unnatural slick spreading across a marsh after a chemical spill, or in Npcturnis City, the creeping consequence of a sorcerer's alchemical mishap.
• In the Voidspire Swamp, this slick could be a living, toxic sheen across the water, rapidly spreading the swamp's corruption.
• In the Blood Bayou, this slick might be a thin, living film across the water's surface, a result of widespread unnatural decay or a spreading curse that leeches vitality from the land itself.

Slime Slick (Medium-sized, adjust for larger spills)

Attributes:

• Dexterity: 2D
• Knowledge: 0D
• Mechanical: 0D
• Perception: 2D (Blindsight 5m, Tremorsense 10m)
• Strength: 3D
• Technical: 0D
• Physique: 2D (determines Body Points)

Skills:

• Brawling: Strength +2D (e.g., 5D)
• Dodge: 2D+2
• Stamina: Physique +1D

Special Abilities:

• Amorphous: Can squeeze through any opening that isn't airtight. Immune to critical hits from physical attacks.
• Adhesive: Anyone touching the ooze must make a Moderate Dexterity check (DC 12) or become Restrained. A Restrained character can break free with a Very Difficult Strength check (DC 20) or by taking damage equal to the ooze's Strength.
• Immunity: Acid, Lightning. Immune to Charm, Frighten, Prone, Stunned, Unconscious.
• Ooze Traits: Mindless, cannot be stunned or knocked unconscious by conventional means.
• Damage Resistance: 1D (vs. all physical damage, including non-magical piercing/slashing/bludgeoning)
• Split (Re-Roll): When hit by slashing damage, if the attack deals at least 5 points of damage after Damage Resistance, the ooze rolls a die. On a 1-3, it splits into two smaller oozes (each with half the original's Body Points, rounded down, minimum 1 Body Point). Each new ooze has -1D to Strength, to a minimum of 1D. If hit by fire damage, it can't split for 1 round.

Maneuvers:

• Pseudopod Lash (Attack): Strength + Brawling. Deals Strength+1D Bludgeoning Damage and applies the Adhesive effect on hit.

Move: 5 Body Points: 25 (for Medium-sized, adjust based on Physique and size category) Scale: Character

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Ooze Ecosystems: More Than Just Monsters

These oozes aren't random encounters. They're part of a horrifying ecosystem, a grotesque warning.

• The Source Matters: What they consume defines them. An Arcane Sludge from Npcturnis City might feed on residual spell energy, developing immunities to certain magic, while a Geological Slurry from the Bayou's deep earth could grind down rock. In the Voidspire Swamp, oozes might be feeding on the very essence of despair or the corrupted life force of the swamp itself. In the Blood Bayou, these oozes feed on sorrow, anger, or even the spiritual residue of death, giving them unique, chilling properties.
• Growing Pains: An ooze finding an abundant food source can grow to monstrous proportions, transforming from a nuisance into an Elder Ooze. These titans might gain new abilities, like spitting corrosive globs, forming multiple pseudopods, or even spawning smaller oozes. Imagine a building-sized Gelatinous Block, the ancient, silent sentinel of Npcturnis City's deepest, forgotten waste pipes, or a Foul Sludge matriarch that has consumed an entire sunken Bayou village, its stench carrying for miles. In the Voidspire Swamp, an Elder Ooze could be the unholy, pulsating core of the swamp's corruption, its immense mass slowly consuming all within its reach. In the Blood Bayou, an Elder Ooze might be a monstrous, pulsating heart of accumulated dread, its very presence corrupting all life around it.
• Environmental Indicators: Their presence signals deeper problems. A sudden bloom of Slime Slicks in the Bayou might mean a new, unknown contaminant is seeping into the water table. The "whispers" emanating from a Psionic Sludge in Npcturnis City's haunted sewers could be the psychic echoes of minds it has absorbed, revealing hidden truths about the city's dark history. In the Voidspire Swamp, the growing number of oozes indicates the deepening corruption of the swamp's magical energies. In the Blood Bayou, the oozes are a symptom of a deep, festering wound on the land, perhaps a curse or a long-forgotten tragedy that refuses to heal.

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Bringing the Horror to Life

As a GM, remember to engage all the senses when describing these things:

• Sight: Not just black; mottled green, iridescent, shimmering, or chunky with dissolved bits. In the Blood Bayou, expect disturbing crimson hues, veins of dark matter, and a sickly, unnatural glow. In the Voidspire Swamp, colors might shift erratically, reflecting unstable arcane energies, or appear as dull, lifeless grays and browns. Does it leave a dissolving trail?
• Sound: The faint slurping as it moves, the hiss and fizz as it corrodes, the unsettling gurgle of trapped gases within. In the Blood Bayou, perhaps the sound of faint, tormented whispers or a low, mournful hum. In the Voidspire Swamp, there might be subtle, high-pitched hums of magic, or the slow, squelching collapse of dying swamp matter.
• Smell: This is crucial. A foul, acrid stench that makes eyes water and stomachs churn. The metallic tang of rust and decay, or an unnatural, chemical odor. In the Blood Bayou, the smell of stagnant blood, iron, and a cloying, sweet rot will permeate the air. In the Voidspire Swamp, the air might carry the scent of ozone and burnt magic mixed with deep, fungal decay.

So, next time you're navigating the shadowy depths of Npcturnis City's sewers or the desolate expanse of its Voidspire Swamp, pushing through the dense foliage of the Louisiana Bayou, or braving the cursed, crimson waters of the Blood Bayou, remember what might be lurking just beneath the surface. It's not just mud, and it's not just water. It's the living, consuming embodiment of everything left behind.

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Stay swampy, and happy Tuesday!

What's the nastiest ooze you've ever encountered in a game, especially one born from something truly vile? Share your tales of sludgy horror in the comments below!

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Open Game License (OGL) for Oozes of the Beneath

The following content is designated as Open Game Content (OGC) under the Open Game License Version 1.0a, available at Wizards of the Coast.

Designation of Open Game Content: All game mechanics, statistics, special abilities, maneuvers, and general descriptions of the Foul Sludge, Gelatinous Block, and Slime Slick provided within this blog post are Open Game Content. This includes their attributes, skills, special abilities, maneuvers, move values, body points, and scale.

Designation of Product Identity: The following are Product Identity (PI) and are not Open Game Content: the terms "Bayou Tuesdays," "Npcturnis City," "Voidspire Swamp," "Blood Bayou," "Tiger Force Shadow Saga," the concept of "Cosmic Apocalypse," "Multiverse Portals," "Escape to Zimarala," "Troll World," "ether dragons," "Whispering Isles," "Wadjet district," and any specific narrative details, proper nouns, storylines, or unique character names associated with these settings and concepts.

OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a The following text is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and is Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc ("Wizards"). All Rights Reserved.

[The full text of the OGL 1.0a would typically be inserted here. Due to its length, it's often linked or included in a separate file in actual publications. Always include the full OGL text when publishing.]

THIS LICENSE IS APPROVED FOR GENERAL USE. PERMISSION TO COPY THIS LICENSE IS MADE BY WIZARDS OF THE COAST, INC.

1. Definitions: (As per OGL 1.0a) 2. The License: (As per OGL 1.0a) 3. Offer and Acceptance: (As per OGL 1.0a) 4. Grant and Consideration: (As per OGL 1.0a) 5. Representation of Authority to Contribute: (As per OGL 1.0a) 6. Notice of License Copyright: (As per OGL 1.0a) 7. Use of Product Identity: (As per OGL 1.0a) 8. Identification: (As per OGL 1.0a) 9. Updating the License: (As per OGL 1.0a) 10. Copy of This License: (As per OGL 1.0a) 11. Use of Contributor Credits: (As per OGL 1.0a) 12. Inability to Comply: (As per OGL 1.0a) 13. Termination: (As per OGL 1.0a) 14. Reformation: (As per OGL 1.0a) 15. COPYRIGHT NOTICE Open Game License v 1.0a Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc. System Reference Document 5.1 Copyright 2016, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Chris Perkins, Rodney Thompson, Peter Lee, James Wyatt, Robert J. Schwalb, Bruce R. Cordell, Chris Sims, and Steve Townshend, based on original material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. Oozes of the Beneath for OpenD6. Copyright [Current Year, June 24., 2025] [Earl C. Hedges Jr / Adventures of Captain Hedges Across Time and Space Blog].