(Haunts and Horrors) New Creature! Adjule

Adjules

Type: Independent Things

Among the Tuareg people of the Sahara Desert region in North Africa there are legends of strange canine beings. These creatures, variously known to the Arabs and the Tuareg nomads as Adjules or occasional Kelb-el-khela.

Adjules hunt in packs and are believed by some to have the ability to sew discord among local populations in order to make prey easier to hunt. Some students of folklore insist Adjules do not hunt humans, while others disagree.

Adjules are extremely rare and tend to be found in and around the Sahara desert especially near Mauritania, the majority of sightings are dismissed as African Wild Dogs, and they do bear a striking resemblance to them form a distance. When seen up close however the creature's unatural nature becomes more common. The patterns on an Adjules fur seem to shift slightly and disconcertingly as one watches while its eyes seem to be windows into dark and terrifying realms beyond our reality.

STR; 25-35

SIZ; 10-35

AGL; 20-50

PER; 30-50

LUC; 25-40

WIP; 30-45

Attacks: Bite 60% or more KPA 18 Worrying

Armour: None

Preternatural Abilities

Emotional Projection Range;- line of sight Area of effect;- 1 person Duration;- 1 minute per point of the users WIP Initiative penalty;- -3 IL

Psychic Drain Psychic Drain Range;- 3 meters Area of effect;- 1 person Duration;- Instant. Initiative penalty;- -2IL

Translocation Range;- 1 meter per point of the users WIP Area of effect;- Self Duration;- Instant Initiative penalty;-N/A

Other Abilities

Adjules can regenerate, recovering 1d10 lost HP each round. Also once each round the most severe wound they have will reduce by one step. This can result in broken or destroyed limbs functioning again.

This ability stops once they Adjule is dead.

Adjules are susceptible to magic and psychic attack as well as normal weapons and injuries. They do not suffer from extremes of cold or heat.

(Haunts and Horrors) New Creature! Angra Mainyu

Today we have a new creature for your Haunts and Horrors game.  It is the first of a series of creatures from the folklore of the middle east, in this case, Persia.  The Angra Mainyu will be appearing in our upcoming H+H Scenario 'The Ahriman Tablets', due for release later this year.

Angra Mainyu

Angra Mainyu are dark spirits of destruction from the Zoroastrian tradition. The oldest Avestan writings seem to use the term as an alternative name for the destructive Deity Ahriman, the Zoroastrian equivalent of Christianity's Satan. Later writings begin to write of Angra Mainyu in the plural, as a range of demonic spirits in the service of Ahriman and his female counterpart Az.

These demons can be formed in various ways, some are the ghostly remains of Usij. Strictly speaking the Deava's in service of Ahriman and Az are a form of Angra Mainyu, but in game terms, the Deava's are the vastly more powerful spirits of destruction while the term Angra Mainyu is used for the lower level demonic and ghostly beings that serve Ahriman.

Due to the fact that there are several ways for an Angra Mainyu to come into being, their attributes and power can vary greatly between one individual and the next, which is reflected in the following profile.

STR: n/a

SIZ: n/a

AGL: n/a

PER: 20-70

LUCK: 20-60

WIP: 10-80

Preternatural Abilities

Different Angra Mainyu have different preternatural powers but what follows is a list of the more common ones. How many preternatural powers any given Angra Mainyu has also seems to vary wildly from 2 to 10.

Curse, Chill, Darken, Drain Strength, Dream Speak, Fright, Inflict Wound, Manipulate Object, Phantom Sound, Phantom Sound, Physic Drain, Pestilence, Plague, Possession, Silence, Strike Blind, Strike Deaf, Strike Mute, Suggestion, Warp.

Angra Mainyu tend to prefer powers that reflect destruction and darkness over all others and cannot use powers that would create something real. Thus they can not use 'The Writing on the Wall' or similar powers, as it would create something ('Writing'). The only exception is the creation of illusions.

Other Abilities

Angra Mainyu can remain invisible in dark places, even when some light is present they may remain invisible so long as there are deep, dark shadows deep enough that a human in dark clothing would be permitted a stealth roll to avoid detection. In sunlight or when trapped directly in a beam of light – or when viewed via 'Mind's Eye' or similar powers, the creatures appear as dark shadows of vaguely human form as if clad in tattered rags. They lack legs and their eyes seem to be pools of even deeper darkness.

Some Angra Mainyu may retain the ability to practice magic.

Destroying Angra Mainyu

These spirits can be driven back to whatever hell spawned them via an Exorcism, although they will use everything at their disposal to prevent themselves from being exorcised.

Sometimes the creatures are 'Bound' to unholy altars or artefacts which are concentrated to Ahriman or Az. When this is the case no exorcism will succeed until the item is found and its consecration to the dark gods is undone. This can be done by blessing it or re-consecrating it to another deity (Usually Ahura Mazda in the Zoroastrian tradition but in truth any deity that isn't tied to Ahriman will suffice just as well).

Other Notes

Angra Mainyu should be considered to belong to the classification 'Demons', even when they were created from the spirits of dead Usij.

(Haunts and Horrors) New Creature - Efreet

As promised, we are continuing our presentations of new creatures for your Haunts and Horrors Games with the Efreet.  From the mythology of the middle east, the Efreet have apeared in the folklore of the Ancinet Persians, Egyptians and bothe pre and post Islamic Arabs.  

Efreet

Aka Efrit. Ifrit, Jan

A type of Djinn in Arabic folklore noted for their strength and cunning.

In their native form the Efreet are enormous winged creature of a vaguely human form but composed entirely of fire. These creatures can be either male or female in appearance.

The Efreet can be found haunting ruins or underground places but according to folklore they may band into tribal societies with social stratification akin to the early Arab tribal societies.

Although their nature is that of fire, making them wild and destructive by nature they also have a strange tendency to seek revenge against murdered when a murder occurs near them or the body is disposed of near them. In this instance the Efrit gains the ability to assume the physical appearance of the victim. Driving an iron nail into the spreading blood or the blood stain of the fatal wound of the murder victim will prevent the Efreet from gaining the ability to take the victims form or from making revenge for the murder.

Efreet can also assume the forms of scorpions or jackals.

When in the form of a jackal, scorpion or murder victim hat form may be harmed by natural means of normal weapons, however this does not harm the Efreet itself which will reform infinite native form within an hour or so.

The djinns natural form is immune to normal weapons or harm but is vulnerable to magic.

The Efreet were spoken of in Islamic mythology and Arabic foklore gut many occult students believe they were also known to the ancient Persians.

According to Egyptian folklore the Efreet were spirits of the desert and could assume the form of a whirlwind. The Egyptians believed these creatures were servants of Set.

Although common in Islamic folklore and even mentioned in the Quran and other Islamic scriptures, Efreet are thought to have been known to both the ancient Egyptians and he ancient Persians.

Burning Man Form

STR 75- 90

SIZ 60-85

AGL 15-55

PER 25-55

WIP 50-80

LUC 10-40

Scorpion Form

RF;5

HP; 5

BI; 9

Armour; 1 point

Nip; 42% KPA; -0- Maximum Injury Level (Mil); Superficial

Sting; 70% KPA -0- Maximum Injury Level (Mil); Superficial Special; Poison.

The “Scorpion's” poison is a potent neurotoxin with an attack of 75 and a POT of 25 which has the following effects.

Level	Effect
W	The victim feels dizzy for 1d10 hours.
L	As W plus the victim looses 1-5 HP
M	The victim suffers 1-10 HP damage and becomes sick and dizzy for 2d10 hours
H	As M, plus the victim is left weak (-1 STR -1 AGL) for 1-5 days.
S	Victim loses 2d10 HP, lapses into unconsciousness for 1d10 hours and then suffers dizziness, sickness and weakness as in M
C	As S but the unconsciousness lasts 2d10 hours.
F	Victim lapses into a coma for 1-5 days.

Jakal Form

STR 30

SIZ 25

AGL 45

PER 40

WIP 40

LUC 20

BI;11

HF 10/15*

Bite 65% KPA 10 Worrying on subsequent rounds

* As a Jackal the Efreet's Horror Factor is 10 if anyone realises that they are actually fighting an Efreet, or believes it to be some other form of shape-shifting supernatural being, then the HF rises to 15.

Preternatural Abilities (Attack at 80% when used offensively)

Burning Touch Range;- Self Area of effect;- Self Duration;- 1 CR per point of the users WIP Initiative penalty;- -1I

Flight Range;-Self Area of effect;- Self Duration;- 1 minute per point of the users WIP Initiative penalty;- -2IL

Invisibility Range;- Self Area of effect;- Self Duration;- 1 min per point of the users WIP. Initiative penalty;--3 IL

Locate Range;- No limit Area of effect; N/A Duration;- Instant Initiative penalty;- N/A

Polymorph (limited) (Jackal, Scorpion, or Murder Victim) Range;-Self Area of effect;-Self Duration;-Unlimited Initiative penalty;--3 I (limited) Range;-Self Area of effect;-Self Duration;-Unlimited Initiative penalty;--3 IL

Phantom Sound Range;-1 meter per point of the users WIP Area of effect;- 1 meter per point of the users WIP Duration;- 5 CR or more Initiative penalty;- N/A

Phantasm Range;- 1 meter per point of the users WIP Area of effect;- 1 meter per point of the users WIP Duration;- As long as the creature continues to concentrate. Initiative penalty;- -1 IL

Summon Wind Range;- 1 meter per point of the users WIP Area of effect;-1 meter per point of the users WIP Duration;- 1 min per point of the users WIP Initiative penalty;- - 2 IL

Psychokinesis (New) Range 10 meters, Area of Effect, 2 Meters, Duration 1 Min per point of the users WIP, Initiative Penalty Nil

Other Abilities

Efreet are immune to normal harm or weapons but are vulnerable to magic. Their manifest forms of Jackal or Scorpion can be harmed by normal weapons but when destroyed, this has no effect on the Efreet itself other than forcing it to turn into a cloud of sand propelled by a whirlwind which then vanishes into the desert for 1d10 hours before the creature returns to normal.

Efreet also have a strange affinity with murder victims, the cause of this is unknown, however is a person is murdered within a mile of them, or the body of a murder victim is disposed of within a mile of he creature, it becomes determined to seek revenge for the murder. The Efreet gains the ability to 'Polymorph (limited) into the image of the victim and will be able to 'Locate' all those involved in or responsible for the victim's murder. I twill become obsessed with trying to avenge the victim.

The only way to prevent this is to drive an iron nail through the blood stain or pool of fresh blood that came form the fatal wound. Doing so severs this connection and the Efreet can no longer assume the victims form, use 'Locate' upon the killers, nor will it be determined to seek revenge for the murder.

Appearance

In it's native form the Efreet appears as a huge humanoid column of fire with bat shaped wings of flame.

Humans that touch or are touched by an Efreet suffer the effects of a 'Burning Touch'.

Special Note

When an Efreet is nearby (within 10 meters) flames begin to act oddly, they dance wildly, change colour or seem to bend and drift against the wind.

(Spelldacner) New Creature! Morindiar (aka; mace tail)

Morindiar (aka; mace tail)
STR          SIZ           AGL        PER          LUC         WIP
40-80        60-70        5-15        10-25        10-30        10-30
Armour;-     7 point underbelly, 14 point everywhere else
Attacks; -    Headbutt    20-45%    KP; 29                   Stomp        10-25%     KP; = half creatures SIZ
                   Tail Lash    25-45%     KP; 32
Description; - These large, powerful herbivores have 4 short legs, circular in cross section and with four short toes on each foot.
  The creatures have broad bodies covered in tough, gnarly hide, softest on the underbelly where it is smooth.
  They have muscular tails with dense, oval, keratinous growths at the end which can be swung like a mace.
The animals wide, broad head have large mouths, filled with flat teeth.  They have small, round eyes, sunken into their heads for protection, and they have two short, broad, horns sprouting from above the eyes at a slight angle.

Habitat; - Temperate shrub lands, fens and forests across Eroon, although they are more common in the east than the west of the continent.

Behaviour; - Passive herd dwellers, they live in herds numbering between 30 and 90 individuals, for protection from predators.
They are generally quite passive, unless attacked, in which case they will lash out with their tails, head butt their attackers or stomp on anything that is smaller or closer to the ground than they are.
Seismic activity of any kind makes the creatures jittery and nervous since one of their most common predators are the tunnelling terrors.

(Spelldancer) New Creature!

Dronith
STR          SIZ            AGL         PER          LUC        WIP
40-80        40-70        10-25        10-40        10-40        10-40
Armour;-     2 point hide, 4 point wool
Attacks;-      Head butt    20-45%    KP; 13
                     Stomp          10-55%    KP; = half creatures SIZ
Description; - Dronith are large quadrupeds with short, forward-curving horns.  The creatures have large heads with wide, round eyes and large, drooping ears which they can prick up and swivel 240 degrees.  Their bodies are covered with a thick wool in the colder seasons, which they shed in the warmer seasons.
Their skins are dark brown, and the wool of the females is white whilst the wool of the males is black.

Habitat; - The natural habitat of the Dronith is fertile, temperate hills, fens and grassland, and they can be found across Eroon.  They are commonly domesticated by beast men as draft animals, sources of wool and sources of milk.  Since their meat is quite bitter, they are not commonly farmed for food, at least not where Carsen can be reared.
Behaviour; - These large herbivores are placid to the point of being docile.  With no natural predators, they have little sense of danger, and will often stand and watch dumbly as danger thunders towards them.

They are prone to parasites, especially Sanguiphage Larvae, although they are also often found in the presence of Sornth birds, which feed upon the Sanguiphage larvae and live in symbiotic relationship with the Dronith.

Dronith feeds on grass and root vegetables.

(Spelldancer) New Creature! Thanikol

Thanikol
STR        SIZ         AGL          PER          LUC        WIP
5-10        5-10        20-50        30-70        10-30        10-30
Armour; -     None
Attacks; -    Bite    30-65%    KP; 8
                     Talons    40-80%    KP; 8
Description; - Thanikol are large birds with rusty brown feathers covering their bodies and wings.  Their tail feathers are black, and their heads, which are bare of feathers, are a brown-pink in colour. They have long, and wickedly sharp beaks, wich they use to strip flesh from cadavers.

Habitat; - Found all over Eroon and D’grathia, especially in warm climates.

Behaviour; - Thanikol can usually be found in flocks of 10-20 and are carrion feeders.  They are attracted to freshly killed, warm-blooded animals, and as such can be found where one may expect to find freshly killed warm blooded animals. (Usually in the hunting territory of other carnivores).  They will usually only descend to feed on a kill once the predator that has brought the kill down has fed and left, so they tend to eat other animals leftovers.  However, they will attack the sick, injured and dying.

Since the animals are carrion feeders, they tend to carry horrible diseases on their beaks and talons, a wound by these creatures has a +30% chance of becoming infected.

Hit Location;-
Roll Nit location
91-00 Head
70-90 Left Wing (Limb)
 51-70 Right wing (Limb)
21-50 Body  11-20 Tail (Limb)
06-10 Left leg
01-05 Right leg

(Spelldancer) New Creatue! Sornth Bird

Sornth Bird
STR       SIZ       AGL        PER           LUC         WIP
1-2        2-4        20-50        10-40        10-30        10-30
Armour; -     None
Attacks; -    Peck    30-65%    KP; 5
Description; - These yellow birds are about the size of a small domestic cat.
Habitat; - Found wherever one finds Dronith.
Behaviour; - Sornth lives near Dronith herds, and feed upon the Sanguifage larvae that live on the larger animals.  By feeding on the larvae the birds perform a symbiotic function for the Dronith.
The birds generally live in mated pairs and are only territorial if food is scarce, so if a large number of Sornth are seen with a Dronith herd, it is a good indication that the herd is seriously infected with Sanguifage larvae.
The birds are not commonly aggressive but may peck if they feel threatened.

Hit Location;-
Roll Nit location
91-00 Head
70-90 Left Wing (Limb)
51-70 Right wing (Limb)
11-50 Body
06-10 Left leg
01-05 Right leg

(Spelldancer) New Creature! The Flying Shroud

Flying Shroud
STR           SIZ           AGL        PER           LUC        WIP
10-25        10-20        30-50        40-85        10-30        10-30
Armour;-     1 point hide on head and body
Attacks;-    Bite    30-65%    KP; 20 + Poison
                   Grapple 55-75%    Pin
Description; - These giant brown creatures can grow to a considerable size, the largest examples have a wingspan of well over 10 feet.  Their ears are large and funnel-shaped, and they have large, round eyes, above oval sensor pits that allow them to see into the infrared.  Their large mouths have two long, needle sharp fangs.

Habitat; - Flying shrouds initially evolved in the eastern, temperate, regions of Eroon.  Since then they have expanded west and can be found in temperate areas and sub-tropical forest regions of places like the kingdom of Aarr.  They avoid arid regions, such as Thule and the southern Steppes.

Behaviour; - Flying shrouds live in dark areas, such as caverns or under dense forest canopies, and in colonies of between 10 and 50.  They hunt at night and are carnivorous, hunting warm-blooded animals.  On their own, these animals will not attack anything larger than themselves, however, in groups, they will happily attack much larger prey, and there are many stores of small parties of humans or other beast men being attacked by a flock of these creatures.

 When attacking, they will swoop down on prey and attach themselves to their victim.  Only the first bite is poisonous, as their poison sacks only contain enough poison for one dose every 24 hours.
Once they have bitten a victim they will remain attached to their prey, usually trying to wrap their wings about the victim (treat as a wrestling hold) whilst they try to worry at the wound (giving them +15 to hit, and resulting in each wound after the first being to the same location).

Special abilities; -  As mentioned, the first bite of the flying shroud injects a toxin with a POT equal to the creatures SIZ.  The poison takes effect in 1-4 Cr.

Result Effect
W The toxin has no effect on the victim

L The toxin causes sluggishness in the victim for a period of 1-10 minutes. The victims AGL and IL fall to three-quarters of their usual level during this time.

M The toxin causes intense sluggishness in the victim for a period of 2-20 minutes. The victims AGL and IL fall to three-quarters of their usual level during this time.

H The toxin causes intense sluggishness in the victim for a period of 2-20 minutes. The victims AGL and IL fall to half of their usual level during this time.

S The toxin causes the victim to become completely immobile for the period of 1-5 Combat rounds.  During this time the victim is conscious but unable to move any muscle.

C The toxin causes the victim to become completely immobile for the period of 1-10 combat rounds.  During this time the victim is conscious but unable to move any muscle.

F The toxin causes the victim to become completely immobile for the period of 2-20 combat rounds.  During this time the victim is conscious but unable to move any muscle.

Hit Location;-
Roll Nit location
 91-00 Head
70-90 Left Wing (Limb)
51-70 Right wing (Limb)
21-50 Body
11-20 Tail (Limb)
06-10 Left leg
01-05 Right leg

(Spelldancer) New Creature! "Cloud Snapper"

Cloud Snapper
STR           SIZ           AGL        PER           LUC         WIP
10-25        10-25        20-50        40-80        10-30        10-30
Armour;-     1 point hide
Attacks; -    Bite    30-65%    KP; 18
        Talons    40-80%    KP; 22
Description; - Cloud snappers look a lot like small Kakari, although they differ from their western cousins in that they have longer, finer heads and are a blue-grey in colour.
Habitat; - Unlike their western cousins, the Kakari, cloud snappers are found in D’grathia and southern Eroon.
Behaviour; - These aerial predators live in small colonies, usually with a familial relationship, numbering 2-6 individuals.  They nest on cliffs and mesas and hunt alone, with each adult member flying in a different direction to find prey.
They tend to take prey animals that are smaller than themselves and can be carried off.  Consequently, they rarely attack humans, although such attacks have been heard off.  They more commonly take mountain goats or hunting canines, which they will sweep down upon and try to pick off the ground.
Cloud snappers will try to kill their prey quickly, and then take it back to the nest to share with the rest of the colony.
Hit table;-
Roll Nit location
 91-00 Head
70-90 Left Wing (Limb)
51-70 Right wing (Limb)
21-50 Body
11-20 Tail (Limb)
06-10 Left leg
01-05 Right leg

(Spelldancer) New Monster: Cavern Creeper

Cavern Creeper

STR 25-55

SIZ   10-30

AGL   30-70

PER   25-70

LUC  10-30

WIP  10-20

Armour;- 10 point body and head, 5 point legs, 

Attacks;- Mandibles 50-85% KP; 29 + Poison

Kick 35-65% KP; 17

Web 25-55% Entangle with STR= to animals STR.

Skills ;- Stealth 55-75%, Climb 70-98%, Swim 25-45%, Hunting 50-75%

Tracking 45-85%

Description;- These giant arachnids can grow to the size of a fairly large man.  Their bodies are large and covered in thick, leathery hide and course hair which is mottled in shades of browns, providing camouflage against the stone of the caves it most commonly lives in.  The creatures head, such as it is, consists of a cluster of 8 eyes, and a mouth flanked by a large set of mandibles, all set directly on the front of the creatures body.

Habitat;- Cavern creepers, as the name suggest, dwell in caves and caverns, although they emerge at night to hunt. They are commonly found in D’grathia and Eroon, although there are legends of creatures that seem very similar, told amongst the people of the western isles.

Behaviour;- Aggressive and territorial carnivores, Cavern Creepers lair in caves but emerge at night to hunt.  However, they are opportunistic and will happily attack anything that enters their lair.

  Cavern Creepers tend to live solitary lives, only coming together to mate about once every other year.  During this mating season the males can travel hundreds of miles in an attempt to find a mate.  The females will lay a clutch of up to 50 eggs.

  Cavern Creeper young emerge from the egg sack fully formed, although quite small, and are capable of supporting themselves.  Hatching time turns into a macabre feeding frenzy as the animals are cannibals and they will attack their own siblings.  Generally only 10% survive, and they leave the lair to find another home for themselves.

  Because of their life cycle and cannibalistic nature, the population of these creatures is kept quite low, and they seem constantly in danger of extinction, although they always seem to muddle through.

Special notes;- The bite of a Cavern Creeper injects a potent paralytic poison with a 75% attack and a POT equal to the animals SIZ. The poison takes 1-5 CR to take effect.

Result Effect

W The toxin has no effect on the victim

L The toxin causes sluggishness in the victim for a period of 1-10 hours. The victims AGL and IL fall to one half their usual level during this time.

M The toxin causes intense sluggishness in the victim for a period of 2-20 hours. The victims AGL and IL fall to one half their usual level during this time.

H The toxin causes the victim to become completely immobile for the period of 1-5 hours.  During this time the victim is conscious but unable to move any muscle.

S The toxin causes the victim to become completely immobile for the period of 1-10 hours.  During this time the victim is conscious but unable to move any muscle.

C The toxin causes the victim to become completely immobile for the period of 2-20 hours.  During this time the victim is conscious but unable to move any muscle.

F The toxin causes the victim to become permanently paralyzed unless an anti-venom or magical cure can be found.

The creatures can launch a highly adhesive web strand from its spinnerets at a victim.  The spinnerets are located in the creatures hind quarters, and to fire the strand at a victim the creature must rise up and curl its hind quarters under its body, squirting the web from between its legs which are at full stretch.  This leaves the creature vulnerable, so it prefers not to make the attack until most or all of its foes are incapacitated.

Hit Locations;-

Roll Location

81-00 Head

51-80 Abdomen

41-50 Front left leg

31-40 Front right leg

26-30 Middle front left leg

21-25 Middle front right leg

16-20 Middle rear left leg

11-15 Middle rear right leg

5-10 Rear left leg

1-5 Rear right leg