Death Bed

aka Mortis Mattress

This relative of the lurker and mimic looks like a four post bed of the comfy sort. The type one would use in conjunction with Cunard's Cozy Comforter of Restful Repose. It is, of course, a voracious monster bent on eating anyone who wanders near. When encountered, DM should roll reaction (or d6 if reaction not used). This will determine how long since the creature's last meal. If not very hungry the creature will be quite patient and cunning waiting for its occupant to fall asleep before indulging in a late night snack. Conversely, a starving bed will be very aggressive springing its attack on those who merely sit on it's edge. OTOH a fully satiated bed might not even nibble on someone resting a full eight hours on it.

Death Beds are fully mobile and are as fast as an unencumbered man. Their primary attack is two great enveloping "wings" from either side, much like a manta ray's. These grapple, trap, and suffocate in addition to secreting digestive juices for 1d6 hits a round. Death Beds may also bludgeon up to four separate annoyances with kicks and "punches" from it's posts. Note: due to their wide spacing no two posts may attack the same target. Some specimen's have a toothy maw which on a critical hit will swallow whole small morsels such as hobbits, children and dogs. Meals so ingested will be slowly(1d6/rnd) digested and they or what's left of them may be recovered from hacking into the "mattress".

Unless extreme measures are taken (called shots) those being consumed will take 1/2 of any damage inflicted on the bed. Death Beds are immune to electricity, sonics, gases, suffication, and aren't terribly put out by water. They d0n't breath or have hearing (they do sense vibrations). Take only half damage from cold. And if you use such modifiers, aren't as damaged by blunt and piercing weapons as they are slashing/chopping types. Fire is their bane, taking double damage from it and very easily catching on fire for continuing damage.

Death Beds accumulate gemstones in a gullet like organ they use to grind bones. Their lairs will have, in out of the way area, small piles of inorganic gear. The remains of previous meals and the creatures "dung". But, they rarely stay in one area for very long. Preferring to sample the local fair and then move on before being discovered. It is unknown how they travel great distances. They have been discovered and exterminated in taverns and noble manors. One would expect a bed walking in the front door to be noticed.

Lessor and weaker versions (cots, simple beds) are known to exist. Whether these are different species or the juvenile forms is hotly debated by monsterologists!

Sigh, I think that is the lamest image I've ever put on this blog.