Eyewitness sketch
Artist unknown
“They appeared on the side of the road,” the drunken man who obviously hadn’t bathed in days slurred. “They tried to drag me off. Looked like frogs…sounded like em too. They had a hunger in their eyes, I know what they wanted…they wanted me!” The bartender kicked the man out shortly after, playing his story off as the ramblings from the whiskey he had been drinking. I would have to, if not for the claw print I saw on the man’s arm.
On March 3, 1972 at 1 A.M., police officer Ray Shockey was patrolling Loveland, Ohio when he saw what he thought was an animal scurrying across the road. When the animal went through the lights of his patrol car, he saw what he described as a large frog-like creature. The creature then stood on two legs and hobbled to the side of the road, hopped over the guard rail, and disappeared into the Little Miami River below. Scrape marks going down the hill were later reported by Shockey and another officer who went back to investigate.
Two weeks later, a second officer, Mark Mathews, was patrolling Loveland when he found a carcass of an animal in the middle of the road. Stopping with the intent of removing the body, Mathews was taken aback when the animal stood up on two legs. He unholstered his revolver and shot at the creature, which then hopped over a guard rail on the side of the road. The creature’s description matched that of the creature seen by Ray Shockey, and has become known as the Loveland Frog.
Reports of the Loveland Frog did not start in 1972. In 1955, one business man claims to have seen a number of bi-pedal frog-like beings on the side of the road, one holding up a long, metal rod emitting electrical energy. Another woman, also in 1955, claims to have been attacked in 15 feet of water by an unknown creature that pulled her under twice. Green palm prints appeared her leg for several days after the attack. Sightings of the creatures continue to the present day.
In reality, the Loveland Frog is a river demon known as the Shawnahooc. Known to the Twightwee tribe of the area as early as the 1690s, the Shawnahooc are a race of frog-like creatures that live in caves under the Little Miami and Ohio rivers. They have rubbery greenish skin, bulging eyes, and a large mouth that emits groans and croaks like that of a bullfrog. Shawnahooc range between three to four feet in height and weigh between 50-70 pounds. They are intelligent creatures with some knowledge of magic.
The Shawnahooc subsist on a diet of fish and plants, but have an affection for meat. This typically comes in the form of a stolen calf or goat from local farms, but the Shawnahooc have a fondness for human flesh. This fondness caused the Twightwee Indians to hunt down the Shawnahooc in the 1700s to stop a rash of kidnappings, which drove the creatures into a network of undiscovered caves beneath the Miami and Ohio rivers. They live there to this day.
Entrances to their caves are mostly found under hidden tributaries to the rivers, although a few are located deep in the surrounding woods. One entrance is also located in a forgotten area of the Loveland sewers, allowing the creatures to enter the inhabited areas of the town undetected.
Despite being small, the Shawnahooc are strong and can be viscous when attacked. Their hind legs are powerful when kicked, and they have razor sharp claws which they use to tear into their victims. A few of the creatures are shamans and are able to cast spells.
The Shawnahooc currently stay hidden in their caves, only surfacing to worship their gods under the full moon, explore, or steal food. Recently, they have begun to be more daring in their trips to the surface. A few of the creatures have a growing desire to feast once again on human flesh, which has thus far been satisfied by the occasional drifter. However, this has only temporarily placated the creatures, and a few are planning for a larger “feast”.
Shawnahooc (Loveland Frog)
STR 3d6 10-11
CON 2d6+6 13
SIZ 1d6+1 5
INT 3d6 10-11
POW 3d6 10-11
DEX 2d6+6 13
Move: 8 / 10 swimming
HP: 11
Weapons:
Claw 45%, damage 1d6+db
Kick 35%, damage 1d6
Grapple 30%, if in water increases the likelihood of drowning
Club 30%, damage 1d6+db
Armor: none
Spells: For every 6 Shawnahooc encountered, there is a 50% chance one will know 1-3 spells.
Skills: Hide 70%, Swimming 90%
Sanity Loss: 1 / 1d4
