Tulip-Head, The Upside Down, and Barb from

Tulip-Head (Demogorgon)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

N/A

F: Rm (30)
A: Rm (30)
S: Rm (30)
E: Am (50)
R: Pr (04)
I: Rm (30)*
P: Gd (10)

Health: 140
Karma: 44
Resources: N/A
Popularity: 0

Talents:
Tulip-Head has shown no real intelligence outside of cunning and instinct as of yet. As such, Tulip-Head has no real talents.

Powers:
Extra-Dimensional Being:
Tulip-Head is a creature who exists in both the prime material plane and in the Astral Plane (dubbed ‘The Upside Down’), and is capable of crossing between the two after its home dimension was accessed by Eleven during a psychic experiment. While Tulip-Head is the nickname for the creature from the internet, the creature has no name and has displayed no real intelligence outside of a desire for prey and an enhanced set of animal instincts. Tulip-Head plagues the small town of Hawkins for almost a week, abducting and eating several residents (as least six to eight) during its initial encounter. Tulip-Head has been observed to have the following abilities:

• Extra-Dimensional Physiology: Tulip-Head seems to be adapted to exist in a state of Astral space dubbed ‘The Upside Down’. As such, its physiology is perfected to be a predator. Tulip-Head seems to have Ex (20) Armor vs. Physical attacks, although it can be trapped and harmed by objects which halve its natural defense. Tulip-Head is immensely strong in comparison to a human being and has greater agility and endurance due to its adaptions. Tulip-Head is also perfectly adapted to its existence in the Upside Down.
• Natural Weaponry: Claws: Tulip-Head’s claws can sever objects and do Ex (20) damage, halving natural and artificial normal armor’s effectiveness.
• Natural Weaponry: Bite: Although not expressly seen, the detachable and sectional mandible of Tulip-Head makes it capable of rending flesh with Ex (20) ability.
• Dimensional Travel: Tulip-Head can move freely between normal space and the Upside Down with Am (50) ability. Tulip-Head can also drag individuals with it, usually future victims by touch. Whenever Tulip-Head moves between dimensions, the electromagnetic spectrum goes wild and visible distortions occur. This is usually followed by an organic residue and similar distortion in many areas that it opens its gates from. Moving through water seems to be the easiest means, and leaves no immediate residue. Tulip-Head favors specific areas to cross over dimensions, such as Hawkins Labs or the Byer residence. These areas as well as areas outside of the woods are the places in which the veils between the Upside Down is thinnest with normal space.
• Regeneration*: Tulip-head recovers very quickly from damage, recovering from both a series of attacks and being set on fire in a short time. Tulip-Head seems to have Ex (20) Regeneration, as well as Gd (10) recovery. It has been suggested that Tulip-Head regenerates faster after feeding.
• Tracking*: Tulip-Head is able to track across the dimensional barriers with Rm (30) ability, being able to track specific prey once it has engaged them or ‘locked on’ again. Tulip-Head seems to require encountering an individual in order to track it, and cannot track someone whose ‘trail’ is cold or off (It had issues with Will Byers in the Upside Down once it lost him, but once it knew where to begin its search, it was able to pick up the trail quickly).
• Dimensional ‘Sensing’: Tulip-Head can perceive what is happening in real time from the Upside Down at the same time, utilizing a sense which allows it to sense in both places at once. Tulip-Head only needs to make an Intuition FEAT in order to perceive what’s going on in a particular area, but is limited by its instincts and intelligence.
• Blending: Tulip-Head is able to distort the visual spectrum and appear nearly invisible. Tulip-Head does with Rm (30) ability. Tulip-Head is not truly invisible, but for the most part as it only attacks in dark locations at night, it might as well be.

Contacts:
Tulip-Head has no contacts.

Limitations:
Very little is known about Tulip-Head, whether there are more than them or if it was a solitary creature. What is known is that Tulip-Head has several key limitations, which include:

• Predatory Animal Intelligence: Despite its cunning, Tulip-Head has only a basic animal intelligence. As such, Tulip-Head is lured into a trap utilizing the proper prey, as well as hunt for prey rather than possessing an agenda. As such, Tulip-Head can be manipulated into traps and activities accordingly.
• Dimensional Physiology: Tulip-Head thrives in darkness and at night. Tulip-Head is not active during the day nor does it seem to prefer to act in places which is artificially lit, unless provoked or drawn by great deals of blood. Tulip-Head suffers a -1cs to activities in daylight (but not artificial light). Tulip-Head must make a Psyche FEAT to operate in well-lit areas.
• Terrifying Visage: Tulip-Head is hideous and alien, forcing those that deal with it to have a -2cs reaction bonus.
• Blood: Tulip-Head is drawn to blood, requiring a -2cs Psyche FEAT to resist appear and attempting to attack areas where fresh blood exists. The larger the amount, the greater the chance that Tulip-Head will be drawn.
• Dimensional Distortions: Tulip-Head’s emergence into normal space always includes electromagnetic distortions of an area as well as physical effects as the creature appears. As such, Tulip-Head’s appearances can be somewhat prepared for and tracked. Once the distortions begin, Tulip-Head appears 1d6 Rounds later.

The Upside Down

But what if he was there? What if we just couldn't see him? What if he was on the other side?

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

The Upside Down is a dimensional space similar to Astral Space discovered by Eleven when undergoing an experiment at Hawkins Lab. The Upside Down is a dark mirror of the normal world, with similar buildings, objects, trees, and other landmarks in a distorted version where the temperature is always just above freezing and that nothing living exists outside of the Monster. The Upside Down can only be accessed through dimensional portals, such as the maintained portal at Hawkins Lab or the temporary portals created and used by Tulip-Head during its nightly forays into normal space.
Due to the extreme nature of the Upside Down, things seem to be breaking down or in ruins compared to their counterparts in Normal Space. It is unknown if the Upside Down is bound specifically to the areas around Hawkins or if it is somehow a pocket dimension. What is known is what happens to those who find themselves in the Upside Down:

• Reduction in Endurance: The Upside Down begins attack a person’s Endurance, which begins with a Fe (2) ever-present cold and chill. Slowly, gradually the person finds their Endurance ranks lowered, depending on their time in the Upside Down and how they arrived. If a person arrived with warmer clothing or a bio-hazard suit, they may find the effects lessened. Persons inside the Upside Down must make Endurance FEATS each eight hours they are present. A White Result lowers the Endurance of the victim by -1cs. Once the victim reaches Shift 0 Endurance, they simply are overcome and die. What should be interesting to note is that the effects of The Upside Down may also be mitigated or slowed by familiarity: If a person goes to somewhere they know (such as Will Byers going home or to his constructed club-house known as Ft. Byers), the effects are lessened and while suffering the cold effects they victim can maintain their Endurance. Mechanically this is represented by an additional Psyche FEAT before the Endurance FEAT. A green result or better means that the person can avoid the Endurance FEAT check for that period.
• Darkness: It is always night in the Upside Down, reducing visible perception to about 20’ in most areas. Intuition-based actions are limited by -2cs in the Upside Down, and those with enhanced senses, Danger Sense, or other senses will find them reduced even further to -4cs while present inside of the Upside Down.
• No Obvious Portal: There are no obvious exits or portals in the Upside Down, with the only real portal inside of Hawkins Laboratory. Dimensional Travel outside of the Upside Down is limited, requiring the use of established exits or portals created by Tulip-Head during its ruptures into normal space. Individuals can make Intuition checks to perceive some activities, and watch and observe actions in normal space. Exits however are difficult, and may attract Tulip-Head.

Barb

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

”I’m Chill"

Barbara Holland

F: Pr (4)
A: Pr (4)
S: Pr (4)
E: Typ (6)
R: Gd (10)
I: Gd (10)
P: Typ (6)

Health: 18
Karma: 26
Resources: Pr (4)
Popularity: 0*

Talents
Student*

Powers
None

Contacts
Nancy Wheeler
The Internet

Limitations
Nancy Wheeler’s Best Friend: Barb attempts to Look out for Nancy at all times, which leads to a lot of trouble and a helluva pool party.

The True Knot from 'Doctor Sleep'

"We are the True Knot,” they responded. “What is tied may never be untied."

 

 

 

 

 

The True knot



The True Knot are a cabal/tribe of psychic vampires who move throughout the country (and have done so for centuries) seeking psychically enhanced children whose abilities and powers have manifested. The True Knot uses its seekers to discover a child with such power and move to acquire the child, draining their psychic energy or ’steam’ from the victim while torturing them to increase the steam output. The True Knot members feed on this energy, enhancing their abilities, restoring their youth, and allowing them a kind of immortality. The True Knot has the following abilities/attributes:

Psychic Vampirism: The True Knot are an old clan of psychic vampires who have existed in the United States before the Revolutionary War and have remained active. By draining steam from victims who are being tortured or from great scenes of disaster, and by doing so restore their vitality, youth, and vigor. The True Knot members do not age or are harmed in traditional ways, but instead rely on their supply of steam either through finding sources or the bottled steam they’ve collected from victims over the years. True Knot members have three sets of FASE: Based on their current or ‘normal’ levels of ability, the reduced levels in which they have not taken steam, and their upper levels in which they take great quantities of steam. True Knot members begin to age to their true ages after going 2 weeks without Steam, becoming more susceptible to normal infirmities and conditions. By week 3, the True Knot members suffer penalties to the FASE and Health, and by one month they must begin to make daily Psyche and Endurance FEATS to remain active. The benefits for being a member of the True Knot is as follows:

• Increased FASE and P: A member of the True Knot which has fed gains +1cs - +2cs to their FASE while they are fed, maximum of Rm (30) for Fighting and Agility, Maximum of Ex (20) for Strength, Maximum Am (50) for Endurance, and a bonus to their Psyche of +1cs.
• Immortality*: When a person is brought into the True Knot, they are turned into a member of the Knot in an elaborate ritual in which they may not survive. Should the new member survive, they will remain as youthful as they were when they were first embraced by the True Knot, remaining healthy and with vigor at that point as long as a supply of steam is provided. The immortality is not true immortality as members of the True Knot are still susceptible to certain common diseases (such as measles) which can kill them if not treated. Terrible wounds are healed through steam, and so long as a supply is available, the members of the True Knot can survive for centuries.
• Enhanced psychic abilities: Members of the True Knot are themselves gifted usually with some form of psychic power – such as psionic detection, Mental Invisibility, or the like. These abilities are further enhanced on their embrace by the True Knot, increasing the ranks by at least +1cs. Rose the Hat’s abilities were formidable before her time with the Knot and only increased with her becoming a member.
• Group Connection: Members of the True Knot are connected with one another psychically, able to read each other’s surface thoughts and situations, as well as determine when a member has met with danger or deadly incidents up to half a continent away. The connection between the True knot is stronger with those who have abilities that are more dedicated to psionic detection, and Rose that Hat’s ability is great enough to determine the status of the members of the True Knot directly with her or feel the destruction of members and be able to identify them with certainty and clarity (As she did with Crow Daddy). This connection is considered Mn (75) for the purposes of sensing members and communication but only for True Knot members.
• Spirit Storage: Through undefined means, the True Knot can draw steamfrom a victim and store it in pressurized storage tanks which are kept with Rose the Hat. One compressed tank can hold the steam of one individual, and the True Knot believes they have up to 30 tanks at any one time to get them through ‘the lean times.

In Plain Sight: The True Knot moves in plain sight as caravans of campers and RV travelers, as unobtrusive as possible. The True Knot has mastered the ability not to stand out, and to spot the members or their activities takes incredible effort. Combined with their resources, the True Knot owns several campgrounds across the US and utilize routes established to avoid detection. Even when the suggestion may be made that perhaps something is amiss, the True Knot will only be vaguely remembered. This isn’t necessarily a true power, but it is incredible creepy how easily they can move through society, and any check trying to detect them or perceive their activities would require a Rm (30) intensity FEAT.

Resources: Although the True Knot appears as not having much money individually, they actually possess collectively Mn (75) resources, having enough money, property, and legal protection to provide them with the necessary covers and ability to afford things without being questioned. In addition, The True Knot’s resource go back centuries and not just in money – they own many businesses, services, and corporations which have a broad range of things. The True Knot can with enough time procure military grade equipment, cutting edge technology, and even drugs and chemicals not available in the common market simply by moving a few resources and setting up necessary dead-drops. The True Knot is so adept at hiding their activities and resources that it is very doubtful even they are aware of how much they really have. The True Knot owns countless properties throughout the continental US, Canada, and Mexico (including the remnants of the Overlook Hotel).

Contacts:
The True Knot has a front man who usually handles all connections to the normal world (Or ‘Rubes’ as they refer to anyone not in the True Knot).
Limitations:
Despite their formidable nature, the True Knot has several key limitations:

• Dying and Death: The True Knot is not truly immortal, and can die either through diseases they may not have been immunized against when not a member of the not or through damage. Dying for a member of the True Knot is incredibly painful, as they begin to ‘cycle’ between fading away and remaining cohesive. When a member of the True Knot suffers a kill result or suffers a loss of Health to 0, they not only begin the dying process but they cannot stabilize without steam and suffer an additional -1cs Endurance Loss each round. While they are in the dying process, they will begin to fade out of existence (leaving their clothing and items but seemingly to just ‘compress’ into nothingness. The True Knot member must make a Psyche FEAT at -2cs to remain conscious during the event or immediately suffer another loss of one Endurance Rank. While cycling, the True Knot member is incapable of physical action but can speak or react. Cycling is a painful action and is one of the few things that the members of the True Knot fear.
• Absolute Leadership: Rose the Hat rules the True Knot and ultimately controls the True Knot’s power, access to steam, and resources. Those who leave the Knot under Rose the Hat’s leadership are considered ‘cut off’ and probably wouldn’t survive long without the ability to locate additional steam. In addition, Rose’s obsessions drive the focus of the True Knot, which can be on occasion incredibly self-destructive.
• Vulnerability to Diseases: The True Knot is incredibly susceptible to diseases like measles, which gains a +2cs to infect and debilitate members of the Knot. As many members existed prior to vaccinations, they would be extraordinarily at risk, especially if depleted by lack of steam.
• Secrecy: The True Knot value secrecy above all things and would go to great lengths to both avoid detection and revelation. The True Knot is not above using every method at their disposal to silence someone who knows anything about them, but prefer to handle such things quietly.
• Attracted to Tragedy: The True Knot seems to be attracted to tragedy or upcoming tragic events. Partially due to the need for steam, and partially due to perhaps connection to areas drenched in violence. The True Knot is always present in the US at scenes where disasters happen.

 

Death Angels from 'A Quiet Place' (2018)

  Death Angels



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

F: Rm (30)
A: Rm (30)
S: Gd (10)
E: Rm(30)
R: Fe (02)
I: Ex (20)
P: Fe (02)

Health: 100
Karma: 22
Resources: N/A
Popularity: - 30 (In the affected world)

Talents:
The death angels have no talents, and are considered an animal (albeit super-predator) intelligence.

Powers:
Death Angels are extraterrestrials that possess inhuman attributes which allowed them to survive the rigors of space, decimation of most of humanity, and resistances to most conventional attacks. The death angels are pack hunters who solely operate with their inhuman audible sensory abilities. The attributes of a typical death angel are as follows:


Death Angel Physiology:

A typical death angel is impervious to most forms of damage, are superhumanly fast, and can detect even the slightest noise. Typical death angel abilities are as follow:

• Bio-Armor: A typical death angel is considered to have Am (50) armored skin, granting it appropriate protections accordingly. In addition, the aliens are impervious to temperature, impact damage, chemical/toxins, disease, and radiation at rank. Furthermore, the death angel’s armor acts as ‘sealed system’ for the purposes of travel through environmental hazards (See Limitations). The death angels arrived on an asteroid impact having survived the rigors of space.
• Enhanced hearing: As sightless predators go, the death angels have a superior auditory system, considered to have Rm (30) hyper hearing. In addition, death angels also possess Rm (30) level sonar and can ‘home-in’ on a sound of Pr (4) or less even at their extreme ranges.
• Speed: Death angels are considered to have a form of hyper-speed, capable of moving up to 4 areas a round with an additional +2 areas with a simple Endurance FEAT. In addition, Death angels gain an additional +2 melee attacks a round.
• Natural Weaponry: Claws: Death angels possess natural claws which can rend steel and harder substance with ease. The claws of a death angel halve effective body armor and natural resistances, doing rank damage with each hit. Death.
• Stealth: Death angels are hard to spot, and as seen can be almost impossible to detect until they are upon prey. As such, death angels are considered to have Gd (10) stealth.
• Electrical Disruption: Although not explained in the movie, electricity is affected by the presence of death angels, and is considered to be Pr (4) electrical dampening. When in areas that are lit by electrical power, the disruption actually provides a +1cs to stealth checks for death angels and a -1cs Intuition check for characters.

Contacts:
Death angels have no contacts, and are not considered capable of having them.

Limitations:
Death angels are considered highly dangerous, but they do possess key limitations:

• Vulnerability to High Frequencies: Death angels are nearly invulnerable except to high frequencies, which force an Intuition FEAT or cause them to become agitated and stunned. Additionally, the internal structure of death angels is incredibly vulnerable….and high frequencies force the death angels to reveal their internal structures. Any damage done to the vulnerable areas does +2cs damage and of course is not protected by the death angel armored skin.
• Sensory dependent: Death angels are completely sightless (and while this gives them invulnerability to attacks that require sight) and as such, are dependent on their auditory abilities to navigate and hunt. Death angels cannot determine specific sounds, instead attacking whatever makes sounds. As such, areas that provide ambient sound (like rushing rivers) are often good camouflage to move as the death angels don’t specify targets. In addition, death angels can be drawn off by louder sounds and quickly ignore sources of lower intensity.
• Dangerous Extraterrestrial: The world of A Quiet Place has suffered a near extinction of most of the species that can be hunted by the death angels. As such, they are infamous and known to all of its citizens. Any character with Exobiology or Alien Races as a talent would have heard of them, and probably aware of the high frequency weakness.

Shuna Sassi from 'Nightbreed'

Shuna Sassi


Everything has its purpose.

Shuna Sassi

F: Rm (30)
A: In (40)
S: Gd (10)
E: Rm (30)
R: Gd (10)
I: In (40)
P: Ex (20)

Health: 110
Karma: 70
Popularity: 0/20 (General/Midian)
Resources: Pr (4)

Talents:
Thrown Weapons
Sharp Weapons
Dance
Seduction
Knowledge: Midian Lore
Crime*

Powers
Member of Midian: Shuna Sassi is a 'monster' and a member of Midian's society. Shuna's uniqueness is based around her feral characteristics, as well as her empathic powers. Shuna possesses the following abilities:

• Natural Weaponry: Quills: Shuna is covered head to toe in barbed quills, which she can 'throw' up to 1 area away. By using her dancing ability and agility, Shuna can actually perform an area attack with her quills, which do ex (20) sharp damage, halving effective body armor.
• Poison: Shuna's quills are coated in a natural poison, which does Rm (30) damage and forces those who Shuna makes a successful hit on to make an End FEAT or be poisoned. If Shuna makes a '00' roll, the individual must make an End FEAT or begin the dying process immediately.
• Empathy: Shuna is a low-level empath, capable of reading humans as well as Midian citizens with Gd (10) ability
• Pheromones: Shuna emits pheromones at Rm (30) level, and when used in combination with her empathy and talents makes her very desirable.
• Regeneration*: Shuna possesses Ex (20) regeneration. As a side effect, Shuna's aging is severly slowed.
• Recovery: Shuna possesses Ex (20) recovery
• Tracking: Shuna, like her lover Peloquin, can track with Ex (20) ability

Contacts:
Shuna has contacts within the Midian culture, as well as a close contact with her love Peloquin. Shuna has alluded to various criminal contacts in human culture, as well as being well-connected to various figures through higher echelons of society (She was the lover and ultimately murderer of a US Senator).

Limitations:

• Unusual Looks: Shuna is non-human in appearance, which adds to her strange appeal. Shuna does not usually wear clothing, and has no modesty about her appearance.
• Casual Killer: While not psychotic, Shuna is none the less casual about taking a life, viewing it philosophically.
• Devoted to Midian: Shuna is devoted to her home and her people, and will do whatever needs to be done to protect both.

The Ghouls from 'The Monster Club'

‘For every one we chased away, twelve more returned...’

Although the 1980 film The Monster’s Club had several campy moments amid the three stories, one of the three…The Ghoul stayed with me for several years, like the Zuni Fetish Doll story from Triology of Terror. Essentially a movie producer goes to a small village in England scouting new locations, when he discovers that the entire village has been overrun with flesh-eating ghouls. The rest is history…and an enjoyable little story with a twist ending.

Typical Ghoul

Typical Ghoul

F: Ex (20)
A: Gd (10)
S: Ex (20)
E: Rm (30)
R: Pr (04)
I: Rm (30)
P: Typ (06)

Health: 80
Karma: 40
Popularity: 0
Resources: Pr (04)

Talents:
Hunting
Scavenging
Small unit tactics

Powers:
Inhuman Nature: The Ghouls are inhuman in nature, capable of great feats of dexterity, strength, endurance, and resilience. The nature of the ghoul grants it the following abilities:

• Increased FASE: The typical ghoul has higher FASE abilities as shown above.
• Increased durability: Ghouls seem to have greater resistance to damage, granting them pr (4) Body Resistance.
• Resist: Elements: Ghouls have greater resistance to natural environments, able to survive with little to no clothing and suffer no ill-effects. They are considered to have Gd (10) protection against natural elemental areas, but not powered or other environmental effects.
• Stench: Mentioned several times, the ghouls have a real stench which acts as a Fe (2) nauseate ability, forcing an Endurance FEAT or suffer -1cs to actions. In addition, the ghouls use the stench to 'mark' an area, which is used to determine where a colony establishes itself. The ghouls are not affected by the stench, and can ignore it for the purposes of their enhanced senses.
• Enhanced Senses: Although not stated expressly, the ghouls seem to have the ability to see in near-total darkness and have greater senses of smell. It is assumed that they have such senses at Gd(10) ability.
• Longevity: Ghouls seem to have a greater than normal lifespan, allowing them to live for 100 + years.
• Digestive Adaptation: The ghoul version of digestion adaptation allows the ghoul to process deceased flesh, marrow, and material as well as raw human flesh. The ghouls seem to derive all of their nourishment from such.
• Natural Weaponry: Ghouls (and half-ghouls) possess claws and fangs that can do Gd (10) edged damage. The claws halve body armor effects. Half-ghouls can 'hide' their fangs and claws.
• Interbreed: Ghouls can interbreed with humans, creating half-ghoul offsprings which are usually smarter and more capable of interacting with society. These half-ghouls for the most part serve their ghoul parents and are not immediately discernible from normal humans. These offspring usually have higher reason scores.

Contacts:
Ghouls maintain no real contacts outside of their own communities, allowing their half-ghoul offspring to achieve connections/contacts with human society.

Limitations:
Ghouls have the following limitations:

• Hideous: Ghouls are hideous to behold, and suffer a permanent -1cs circumstance bonus for any social interaction.
• Flesh-Eaters: Ghouls are able to only eat humans, either alive or corpses. The digestion of the ghoul was suggested only to be able to draw nourishment from humans.
• Unearthly: Humans will automatically find themselves uneasy around ghouls and if a human has an Ex (20) intuition or greater, they will be able to spot where ghouls are as well as the 1/2 ghoul offspring.

The 1/2 Ghouls do not suffer from the hideous limitation, but have the following limitation:

• Dark Secret: 1/2 Ghoul: The 1/2 ghouls are technically cannibals, preferring human flesh to all other forms of food.
• Servant to the colony: Most 1/2 ghouls are servants to the colony, and place the colony above all else.

The Wolfen Pack from the novel version of 'The Wolfen'

A sub-race of wolves which evolved separately from man, the pack in Whitley Strieber’s The Wolfen represent both a hidden threat to humanity as both predator and intelligent adversary. The novel (far superior than the 1981 movie) gives a real feeling to the ‘monster’ – That is possible that such creatures could exist, and were the basis for the original werewolf legends. There are several tense scenes in the book, from the inadvertent discovery of the pack’s lair to the finale in the high-rise building that really are spine-chilling.

Why The Wolfen?

Simply put, the novel was an awesome and fresh take on the werewolf legend in such a way to represent ‘evolutionary horror’. I enjoyed the book quite a bit as the narrative is both from the human perspective and the pack’s perspective, granting a rare view into the minds of main antagonist(s). Strieber offers a really good horror book without a lot of unnecessary and overt ‘dumbing down’ of the concept – There are questions that are never answered, but it’s a logical reason why those questions are never answered. In other words, the book doesn’t try to neatly explain everything , and that’s kind of cool.
I will say that the movie version with Albert Finney really doesn’t do the book justice at all (rewriting huge sections and changing the nature of the pack completely). In the end, the superior novel is left as a bookmark to the inferior movie.



The Wolfen Pack

Typical Pack Member

F: Ex (20)
A: Gd (10)
S: Gd (10)
E: Ex (20)
R: Typ (06)
I: Rm (30)
P: Gd (10)

Health: 60
Karma: 46
Popularity: 0*
Resources: Fe (2)

Talents:
The Wolfen are essentially evolved wolves, having no real talents or training.

Powers:
Evolved Wolves:
The Wolfen Pack are evolved wolves, slightly large in size with an opposable thumb-like digit, higher cognitive function and evolved sensory abilities. These evolved wolves have existed on the fringes of human society, preying upon the weak, sick, and overlooked. Usually a pack of seven, the Wolfen pack who serve as the main antagonists in the novel have the following abilities:

• Tracking: The wolfen pack can track with Rm (30) ability, being able to find a specific scent in the city of New York without an issue. The Wolfen can follow the scent and/or trail as per the novel across water, through various difficult areas, and including attempts to hide or evasion by their prey. Once the Wolfen have selected a particular prey, they gain an additional +1cs to track that individual.
• Heightened Senses: The Wolfen Pack in the novel have greater than normal sensory abilities, able to see in almost pure darkness, pick up specific sounds that are outside the normal reigstry (even for wolves), and distinguish different scents and smells with greater ability (implied throughout the novel as being superior to wolves). It is assumed they have these senses at Ex (20) ability.
• Hyper-Movement: The Wolfen Pack are faster than normal wolves and/or dogs, able to move four areas a round and keep pace with a police vehicle moving at moderate speed. In addition, the Wolfen Pack and jump and bound longer distances with Pr (04) ability.
• Stealth: The Wolfen Pack move with inhuman stealth, granting them Gd (10) ability. The pack has evaded detection from advanced (1970s advanced) detection systems such as radio-mics, infra-red scanners, and other means.
• Mimicry: Wolfen have the ability to mimic human sounds with Rm (30) ability, often being able to lure unsuspecting prey into areas by posing as hurt children, familiar individuals, ect.
• Bite: Wolfen do Ex (20) edged damage to an opponent, capable of halving effective body armor and severing body parts (such as during the climax of the novel). Once a Wolfen has locked their jaws down, it requires an Ex (20) strength or opposed grapple to get them to let go.
• Pack Mentality: The Wolfen are incapable of speech, but communicate with each through other sensory abilities and low sounds. The Pack seems to share this mentality and are able to understand and communicate silently via line of sight. It is not telepathy, but rather a combination of sounds, scents, and body language.
• Cognitive Awareness: Wolfen seem to have a preternatural ability to determine if someone understands they exist, and can quickly make assumptions about a target accordingly. As seen during the pursuit of the police in the novel, the Wolfen quickly understand which officers know or have guessed about them, and proceed to hunt each down.

Contacts:
The Wolfen have no contacts, although it is suggested, implied, and revealed that during the ancient past, mankind had developed a means to communicate with the Wolfen using hand signals. This has since been forgotten by the Wolfen Pack.

Limitations:
The Wolfen Pack have several key limitations:

• Secrecy: Although not completely reasoning, the Wolfen understand that their existence must be kept secret, and will go to extraordinary lengths to hunt those down who have encountered them and lived. In addition, the Wolfen Pack tends to understand how to avoid detection and will never willingly or openly set up attacks regardless of the benefit and/or cost to do so, including rescuing their own from certain death. The Wolfen Pack will eat their own to destroy evidence of their existence.
• Animal-like intelligence: As stated before, the Wolfen Packs are evolutionary forward of wolves, but are not capable of resisting their instincts or developing past rudimentary concepts. The capacity for reason is there, the cunning is there, but for the most part, they are not revealed to be as cognitive as humans.
• Rare: Wolfen are rare, and it is implied by the author of the novel that they may even been near extinction. The Pack realizes this, having not seen other packs or encountered any others.
• Predator Need: The Wolfen need to feed regularly, taking one or two people who will not be immediately missed at a time.
• Lair: The Wolfen maintain a lair somewhere near their preferred hunting grounds. The lair is usually guarded, and not easily moved.
• Unusual Looks: Close examination of the Wolfen reveals their unusual size, the opposable thumb, and the larger head/brain. As such, those who know what to look for gain a +1cs to spotting the difference between large wolves and Wolfen.

Notes:

I always liked the book. One more 'animal' monster group during this round of Halloween write-ups.

Dark Seekers from 'I Am Legend'

Typical Dark Seeker

F: Ex (20)
A: Ex (20)
S: Ex (20)
E: Rm (30)
R: Pr (04)
I: Rm (30)
P: Pr (04)

Health: 90
Karma: 38
Popularity: (As a group) -50
Resources: Fe (2)

Talents:
Feral Combat

Powers:
Infected When the Krippen virus mutated, it created a fast moving retrovirus that killed 90% of humanity, and rendering 80% infected, granting them a sallow appearance, recessed gums, superior speed, agility, strength, and senses. The infected were shown in the theatrical cut to be little more than animal intelligence, with some possessing great cunning and ability to reason. The infected had the following powers:

• Natural Weaponry: Claws: Ex (20) rending damage, capable of rending body armor and materials at 1/2 their value
• Bite: Ex (20) damage
• Enhanced senses: Infected have their sense of hearing and smell enhanced to Gd (10), allowing them to track prey with Typ (06) ability
• Hyper Running: Pr (4) ability to move 4 areas a round
• Hyper Climbing: Pr (4) ability
• Thermal Vision: While not immediately explained, it is clear that the infected can see in the dark with Gd (10) ability
• Recovery: Rm (30) recovery of damage.

Contacts:
None

Limitations:
Infected Limitations: All infected have the same limitations, due to the nature of the Krippen Disease. The limitations include:

• Unusual Looks: All Infected are bald, possessing odd colored eyes, recessed gums (Appearing to have fangs, and are easy to spot.
• Known: Infected are known around the world (Hence the negative popularity), and neither attempt to disguise themselves and are not capable of doing so.
• Animal Intellect: Infected lose their ability to reason, and exist in an almost animalistic state. Pack mentality is strong within the Infected, with an alpha pair being in command.
• Ultra-violet light: For some reason, the infected suffer +4cs damage from ultra-violet light, which will ultimately kill them. Most infected remain in hidden locations during daylight hours, emerging at night to feed.
• Relentless: Infected do not give up on quarry regardless of losses or situation, as seen in the movie.

The Fleshless Ones from Fawcett Comics (Circa 1950)

For those not familiar with the Fleshless Ones, they are a race of skeletal-like beings that had a memorable story in the old Fawcett horror comics of the 1950s, Prior to the Wertham controversy. As a younger gourd, I was able to get a collection of the comics, and was always struck by the interconectivity of the Fawcett horror 'universe', and how they had worked out a lot of concepts that were later seen in comics regarding crossovers, canon, and specifically, impact. Horror characters in the Fawcett books weren't just book hosts: They had specific roles and foils within the microcosim of comics, and obeyed the same rules and/or limitations from book to book.

I had forgotten the Fleshless ones, until I was doing research for a new campaign based around public domain heroes and using the Public Domain Super Heroes Wiki for some additional background and came across the entry. I remembered the story, and knew I wanted to include the Fleshless Ones this year. I think that TFOs make a great adversarial horror group, and definitely adds another aspect to the 'who do you trust' sort of paranoia by adding another sort of 'shapeshifter' race.

Fleshless Ones
F: Gd (10)
A: Gd (10)
S: Typ (06)
E: Ex (20)
R: Typ (06)
I: Gd (10)
P: Gd (10)

Health: 46
Karma: 26
Resources: Gd (10) to Ex (20) depending on the cabal
Popularity: -10 to the occult world

Talents:
Mystic Origin*
Sharp Weapons
Underworld Knowledge
Military
Medicine*
Engineering
Knowledge: Fleshless One Culture

Powers:
Fleshless Existence: The Fleshless Ones are a race of humanoid skeletons, that are pseudo-undead, possessing none of the restrictions of the living. Dedicated to overthrowing and destroying humanity, Fleshless ones were driven into the underworld in ancient days. Fleshless One are immune to toxins, disease, and/or aging. Fleshless ones do not require food, rest, or sleep, and cannot easily be affected by attacks that are illusionary and/or hallucinatory (+2cs to resist). Fleshless Ones can still operate and move until they reach Shift 0 Endurance, and do not make Endurance FEATS for any effect that would affect standard biology (such as biophysical control). Fleshless Ones possess a Gd (10) material strength, and can be destroyed if 70% of their body is destroyed.
Disguises: Fleshless Ones utilize hollowed skins of victims and former sacrifices (Who are usually Fleshless Ones themselves), used through a pseudo-scientific process. The disguises are indistinguishable from normal humans, only an Intuition FEAT against an Gd (10) intensity can spot a fleshless one. Fleshless Ones keep their disguises on hand, often exchanging them between themselves as necessary.

Contacts:
Each Fleshless One cabal has contacts with other cabals, and presumably, the Fleshless Ones use the contacts they have through their assumed identities.

Limitations:

• Inhuman: Fleshless Ones are inhuman, and as such, suffer a -1cs in reaction bonuses when confronted with human culture or experience. When revealed, the Fleshless Ones suffer a -2cs reaction bonus.
• Obsession: Destroy Humanity: Fleshless Ones have an obsession in destroying humanity, and will stop at nothing to achieve this. As such, Fleshless Ones may overlook well-thought out plans or ally with those they believe capable of helping carry out their plans.