Jack Straw by Bill Keyes is a role playing game supplement published by Mobius Worlds Publishing for use with Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition. As such, it is covered by the Open Game License and some parts are considered to be Open Game Content as a result.
The supplement is available as a ten-page PDF from DriveThruRPG for $2.95 but was purchased at a reduced price thanks to a special offer. Two pages are the front and rear covers, one the front matter, two the Open Game License and one an ad.
The opening paragraphs describe the creature, which looks like a scarecrow with a noose around its neck. It appears to be alive, and partly damaged, though no way of permanently killing it has been discovered; it will come back even after being burned to ashes. Jack Straw is a spirit of vengeance, though what vengeance provides its motivation isn’t known, and it will always select one individual which it will attack.
After the stats for Jack Straw are details and stats on Jack’s Crows. This is a swarm of crows that often precedes or accompanies the being and which will attack until killed or Jack Straw is driven off.
Jack Straw Plot Hooks has a number of adventure hooks for how it might be encountered.
What is Jack Straw? provides the truth about what the creature is, and thereby find the means of permanently destroying it.
Jack Straw in Other Settings provides details for using it in weird Western and urban horror.
Jack Straw in Review
The PDF is bookmarked with some sections linked. Navigation is okay. The text maintains a two-column format and appeared to be free of errors. There are a number of colour illustrations. Presentation is decent.
This is effectively a single creature bestiary, and at full price is not cheap as such. The supplement does provide more than just a creature, as it has quite a bit of lore plus suggestions for using it, but it still is at the upper end of the scale. Jack Straw is an interesting, and very hard to stop, monster and it can be found by clicking here.
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