Name
Classification: {According to characters in-setting.}
Type: {Meta classification for role of creature.}
Habitat: {Describes areas where creature is most commonly found.}
Likes: {Exhibits either a strength, comfort, or preference of the creature.}
Dislikes: {Exhibits either a weakness, discomfort, or fear of the creature.}
Threat level: X/10 {Generally X is a rating held by adventurers for difficulty.}
Behavior:
{Notes on actions creature would generally take. Details on other relevant factors.}
Common knowledge:
{Other pertinent data on creature that can be considered known by random characters in-setting.}
Fell [Animal]
Modifier for use on animals, much like dnd's "dire".
Shade
Classification: Magic Monster
Type: trap/parasite
Habitat: secluded areas exposed to high amounts of regret
Likes: darkness (dormant until exposed to light)
Dislikes: light (stunned by light bursts)
Threat Level: 1/10
Behavior:
Waits in dormancy for exposure to light, then finds the nearest sentient being's shadow (their shadow must touch the shadow of something that was already in the room). The shade checks for regrets or a desire to be rid of something within the sentient being. If the target has too little of the desired quality, the shade will look for another target - if there are no other suitable targets, it retreats and tries to enter dormancy.
Effects if Untreated:
Host will lose everything they have, piece by piece, starting with what they don't care about, and ending with what they care about the most. Physical belongings are hardly worth mentioning in this matter, as the shade will take parts of your mind, body, and soul.
Common Knowledge:
Although many of the shade's mechanisms are unknown, the general effects of not purging your shade infection are known to be severe enough to never ignore the symptoms of incubation. Most tales/lore of the monster are old, because people in recent years have found it difficult to take this monster seriously due to how easily it can be purged (recent developments in magic purging). The kind of tale you'd tell your kids to keep them from going out at night now.
This being said, if an adventurer is feeling particularly wary, the preventative measure of blasting new rooms with magical light to stun any shades within is not uncommon knowledge.
Symptoms of incubation: movement of shadow under otherwise stable conditions.
Changeling/Ankou/Progenitor
Classification: monster
Type: hunter
Habitat: Any place with other monsters and beasts. Tends to avoid magic monsters
Likes: eating
Dislikes: dismemberment
Threat Level: 5/10 (Changeling), 6/10 (Ankou), 8/10 (Progenitor)
Behavior:
Unable to understand magic, so they avoid magic monsters and are reluctant to battle mages. Unable to create or destroy mass, so they try to stay well fed and use excess mass to either branch off or reinforce body parts. Moderate intelligence, specializing in biology and chemistry - capable of speech and communication, but this is rarely witnessed (they typically have no reason to attempt communication, but the ones that understand language have enjoyed some strategic victories). 3 forms as follows, and evolution occurs generally by knowledge and accumulated mass.
Changelings:
Typically copy a local creature and attempt to blend in with them for protection until their mass grows enough to survive on their own. Once solo, spends years learning its surroundings and local creatures. Practices transforming to learn comparative data of each race. Will shift into chimerical composites if they feel cornered in battle and cannot escape. Will not make much of a disruption on local ecosystems, as it has limits for feeding and digestion. Typically passive and curious, will attack to feed on any creature it has studied/stalked long enough to discern. Will shift race to feed depending on what food is most readily available and what each race can digest. Late stage changelings can transmute their flesh into metal equipment, but only a crude imitation (no crossbows or bear traps possible, but swords are strong and sharp). Any equipment transmuted can be repaired by the changeling that made it. Due to the density, they are reluctant to allow their equipment to be captured, just as they're reluctant to leave behind a severed limb. does not stray any farther from nest than needed. Decapitation is sufficient to win against a changeling, but it will not die (unless very young), as it will transmute a small creature in its skull and escape when able (it may try to come back for its body parts).
Ankous:
A changeling that has learned how to grow and control extra limbs to the point that they can have at least 2 wolves controlled by a central nervous cord extension. Severing the cord will instantly incapacitate the creature being controlled by it. Creatures connected to cords can be instantly transmuted for healing and shifting, just like the main ankou body. Ankou are neutral and curious, and will put all offensive effort into their attached creatures while they study their opponents. Ankou will attack intruders of its territory slowly, to try to study them, only attempting to kill when their main body is found. They will try to capture unknown beings at times and will torture and dissect them for study. Decapitation typically results in an ankou playing dead, as they've usually compartmentalized all of their vital functions away from their implied anatomy. Elemental destruction such as fire or acid will cause an ankou to stop playing dead and resume assault, but will also have it cord out a new host body that will disconnect when retreat is needed. Ankou will travel a few hours from their dens at most to look for new data and food. Ankou will be intrigued by towns.
Progenitors:
Progenitors have learned to decentralize their nervous system, split their consciousness, and produce creatures of some autonomy (these creatures still act strangely). They do not need to utilize nerve cords. They are aggressive and intelligent enough to apply principles of theory to their knowledge of biology and chemistry (they can make new types of monsters). Easily conquers its home biome and uses it as a farm for generating mass to produce new organisms. A progenitor will still attempt to capture intruders, but will attempt it swiftly and violently. Will travel days away from its home on occasion to test its new upgrades. Progenitors still rely on their constructed creatures in battle, but primarily use their main bodies that are subject to many upgrades (that are generally overkill). Attempts to kill progenitors in their home biomes typically result in killing their chimera soldiers instead. Full particular isolation and demolition is required to kill a progenitor (nearly impossible without magic). Other strategies, such as capture and dismemberment, will always result in the escape of the Progenitor.
Reproduction:
Once fully matured, they can reproduce asexually. They implant their newborn into a chimera as a parasite and have it travel far from the parent. This is done about once a year and has a low rate of success since the chimera's random pathing typically results in it being sighted on a road and reported for extermination. Even barring that circumstance, a newborn changeling is reliant upon being able to copy races around it (it can't copy a chimera because it has broken biology), so if the chimera collapses in a dead zone, the changeling will die. Successful birth typically happens from the changeling killing the chimera from within, followed by the chimera corpse summoning nearby predators that get targeted and followed by the changeling as it attempts to integrate.
Common Knowledge:
It's known that Ankous evolve into Progenitors, but not that Changelings are related. Ankou's are typically sighted on outskirts of civilization, especially where any corpses or food may be found. This can turn into various forms of folklore depending on the sightings. Progenitors are assumed to be robed or otherwise concealed by cloth, and commonly accepted as aggressive instead of a merely curious threat like Ankous. Ankous and Progenitors are both believed to be a strange creature that is similar to a man, but incapable of civility like a hoofer. They are typically accompanied by other beasts and monsters that have apparently been tamed. Towns are aware that the threat of them is great enough to be pricey for extermination contracts, so some towns may try to develop a relationship with the monster by means of offerings in order to have a protector (this is almost always discovered to be foolish, and then they have a Progenitor to kill instead of just an Ankou).
Changelings are typically assumed to be rabid beasts or monsters, as the Changeling doesn't usually mimic behaviors accurately. This can lead to some complications as incorrect strategies are implemented. They might also be assumed to be Skinwalkers. But what is certain is that Changelings can transform into other beasts and monsters at will and have the ability to heal all injuries just as easily.
Carbuncle
Classification: magic monster
Type: curse
Habitat: places where people cursed the temperature
Likes: heat (or cold, if reversed)
Dislikes: physical damage
Threat level: 2/10 Pretty easy to avoid, but brings environmental troubles.
Behavior:
Just sits there, mostly. Looks kind of like an armadillo, though generally not
visible due to constantly generating an entropic prison around itself ([protag C] cannot see through the sphere).
The entropic prison appears to be a sphere that's solid black (size depends on skull size of dragon, but won't be larger). There is no physical quality to it. Reaching out towards the sphere, you would feel a chill close to it.
The mechanism of the sphere is that no energy may escape (aside from kinetic). Naturally, the Carbuncle is immune to energy damage (aside from kinetic). This doesn't amount to much for a few years, but after a period of light/heat exposure, the heat builds up to tremendous degrees. The current Carbuncle in the Poisoned Quarry, for instance, cannot be hurt by stone or metal because those will liquidate before they can reach the actual monster in the center of the sphere. The Poisoned Quarry Carbuncle's contained entropy is actually being drained to sustain the cursed fire, so it can't reach critical levels that would sublimate stone or turn water into plasma (adding ice actually weakens the curse slightly and heat strengthens it).
Moving the carbuncle will move its sphere with it.
Even with magical protection, electricity cannot escape the sphere, so putting a hand inside it will result in a total loss of touch in that hand. Likewise, putting your head inside would disconnect your brain from your body and possibly kill you. You would destroy your retinas in the infinitely reflecting light anyhow.
There is a reversed version, but it probably won't show up. Its sphere is like a mirror and prevents entropy from entering. This version can move and expand, but both happen very slowly. Killing it requires either a calculated long range kinetic attack from outside the sphere, or enough magical protection to keep you functional long enough to search the sphere (which is completely dark) and stab the core.
Common knowledge:
Nothing direct or useful, just that there's sometimes a sphere with deadly attributes.
Jobber
Classification: magic monster
Type: pawn
Habitat: anywhere a man could live
Likes: dying
Dislikes: decapitation
Threat level: (X/2)/10, where X = # of respawns
Behavior:
Appearing as a deformed and hairless dog child, the Jobber is a commonly encountered monster with one exceptional behavior: it wants to die. Their numbers are seemingly random, but groups greater than one are noticeable by barking, which may well be a signal to targets rather than a method of communication.
There is only one method for a man to really kill a Jobber: decapitation. Any other cause of death will result in a "respawn". Respawning occurs from the largest remaining part of the Jobber (last known location will be used if disintegrated) and after 10 hours have passed.
The respawn is explosive, but it's more of a shock and a mess than anything destructive. The respawn process can be delayed with anti-magic, but will continue if the anti-magic fails - despite this causing them to be commonly classified as a magic monster, they are in fact normal monsters (the magic is due to an old contract in this continent).
Each respawn increases the physical prowess of the Jobber along with their size. Nearly all Jobbers wear bits of their old corpses as a show of status to their brethren. The strongest act as leaders if there is no proper master.
Their exceptional psychology means that you can see them attempting assaults that have no chance of success. Many Jobbers actually have the motivation not to kill others, but to try to push others into killing them.
Important to note: only beings more intelligent than them can trigger their respawns; a stray dog could kill a pack with no respawns possible. This also means that suicide does not work for triggering respawn, nor does killing their brethren. Having limited intelligence themselves, they have trouble determining intelligence, but they tend to rely on complex clothing or magic when looking for a master. They do try to serve men occasionally, but a proper man would never consort with a monster.
Common knowledge:
They are pretty well understood by most people, even regular citizens that never travel. This ease of information has led to them being treated as a trivial danger.
The part most people are unaware of is their proclivity to seek out masters to work (die) for and the possibility of them gaining respawns from other monsters.
Scab
Classification: Animal
Type: pack
Habitat: caves, or any place that's dry and dark
Likes: blood
Dislikes: water, sunlight, wind
Threat level: 5/10
Behavior:
They typically try to attack in groups, and prefer to use surprise and flanking. They relish damage that causes them to bleed, as they instinctually understand that it will make them stronger later, but they will back down when their lives are in peril.
Exposure to strong wind effectively blinds them. Unfortunately, this is not well known.
They're purely carnivorous and will feed on each other if pressed (they do not do this efficiently, as they desire occasional damage to grow their armor). They generally choose this option over the possibility of leaving their caves; a Scab out in the open means some strange circumstances pushed him there.
Could be carefully raised into formidable war beasts by implementing finer grooming and more frequent bloodletting than the scabs can naturally perform for themselves. Most likely this would be attempted by intelligent monsters. Such a clan would also be using the creatures for the generation of armaments and fortification.
Common knowledge:
The primary feature is the armor they grow. It's actually a bunch of scabs, but their blood dries into a much sturdier substance. Their blood is viscous, so they developed a habit of grooming their exposed blood into shapes like spines, barbs, and plates. The armor breaks instead of bending, so it's kind of like a lightweight stone.
They're attracted to the smell of blood, including of their own kind. So, if one finds a solitary Scab, care must be taken when dealing with it. Scabs have no eyes, and navigate by smell and vibration.
Their size is around that of a wolf. They can climb rock walls with their claws, and will utilize this in caves. Looks kind of like a xenomorph in shape, but the smooth exoskeleton is replaced by a coat of scabs.
They're pretty aggressive most of the time, so it's rare to see anyone bother to even capture a scab. If their clots had any nutritional value, they'd make terrific livestock. At best, their clots are used in crafting - typically in armor, occasionally in ornamentation and weaponry.
Exposure to water causes their armor to revert back to viscous blood (this is not enough to disarm them, as it only affects the outer layer). This can be enough to cause scabs to retreat. They can never be seen drinking water, and it is thought that they get all the water they need to live via the blood of their victims.
They can be found in sunlight, but the rarity and brevity of it is cause to assume that they dislike it. Little testing is done on this since it's much simpler to get them wet.
Dragon
Classification: magic monster
Type: king of monsters
Habitat: ominous regions near dense settlements
Likes: tension, attention, monsters
Dislikes: calm, being ignored, people
Threat level: 7/10 (10/10 once it's integrated magic monsters)
Behavior:
The standard form of a Dragon is a solid physical threat, but it's real threat comes from three things: an aura of commandment, the ability to fuse with a magic monster, and intelligence to wield its powers. There isn't any fire breath or spellcasting stuff unless it gains it from fusion. Dragons can talk, if it pleases them - they're born with that kind of knowledge.
The aura of commandment makes sure that all nearby monsters and animals stay out of its way. If the dragon wills it, those creatures will act according to its will. This aura only affects non-magic monsters and animals. Most living things would have trouble getting in its way, but this takes care of some potential complications, like getting snared by a Cloud's Fear. This aura does not penetrate the dimensional barriers of magic monster dungeons. It is muffled by soul steel.
The Dragon will seek out a magic monster to fuse with. The criteria it chooses with will be different for each Dragon. It can sort of sniff out magic monsters, in part due to its aura of commandment. It's never been seen, but the Dragon will sometimes nurture the desired magic monster so it's riper for fusion. During such a time is when it's most likely to fight an unfused dragon, as it generally performs this nurturing with kidnappings. Dragons do not automatically know how all magic monsters function, but they can somehow learn this information for the one they intend to fuse with.
Fusion process probably done by eating target. Can be instantaneous or require an incubation period, likely determined by how "ripe" the magic monster was. Fusion has an effect on physical appearance, determined by magic monster type. Dragon's gained powers are based on, but generally upgrades of, the magic monster's powers. Example: Poisoned Quarry Dragon fused with a Carbuncle to gain cursed fire breath that can't extinguish, as well as inflammability even by his own fire.
When fused with a magic monster, the aura of commandment is upgraded to include magic monsters of the type the dragon fused with.
Dragons can do a lot of things they don't normally do. Like, they could infiltrate and conquer Challenger domains. They could enter magic monster dungeons and fuse with the ruling magic monster. They can fuse with more than one magic monster. They can undo a fusion and release the magic monster. They could share a handful of the world's secrets to torment the people they are born to torment. They could hide or run from attackers. Dragons are rare in the first place, so these possibilities have not been acted upon.
It should be obvious how desirable a Dragon would be for a monster tamer, if they knew what it could really do.
Killing a Dragon can be done in a lot of normal ways. The Dragon of Poisoned Quarry died from poison fumes, for example - it just took a few hours of exposure after someone was clever enough to ground it. They're just strong, tough, and smart, with a possibility of magic powers to adjust for. They can bleed to death. They can die of organ failure. It probably won't ever happen, but they would die if every person successfully ignored it for one month, meaning not even thinking of it.
A fused Dragon can be complicated to kill, because part of the transformation is to gain abilties from the magic monster. Magic monsters often have irregular life functions. A Dragon fused with a Shade, for instance, would be as hard to kill as [side character Symbiote].
Dragons are probably formed from poor early history encounters with scalies. Scalies traditionally utilize magic monsters and may have caused part of the early stigma against monster tamers.
Common knowledge:
Huge, scaled monstrosity. Can fly, has wings. Horns and claws. Scales hard enough to break swords. Classic baseline dragon in physical ability.
Dragons are rarely seen, so not much is really known. It's a legend of awe. The Poisoned Quarry has evidence that they exist. Part of its legend is being the "king of monsters," but the exact meaning of the label is unclear nowadays.
Undead
Classification: non-monster
Type: either natural or unnatural
Habitat: natural undead only form in areas with high density negative energy, such as sites of massacres in the open, or enclosed spaces where several people died
Likes: negative energy and food if natural. none if unnatural
Dislikes: positive energy if natural. none if unnatural
Threat level: 2/10 (Zombie), 3/10 (Ghoul), 4/10 (Wight), 7/10 (Revenant)
Behavior:
As implied elsewhere, unnatural undead behave in whatever manner their maker dictates. Skilled necromancers have this set up in complex programming per undead. Less-skilled necromancers will issue commands directly with simple programming that makes command possible.
Despite common belief, unnatural undead do not have to be skeletal. While tradition demands the stripping of flesh for necromantic practice means that fleshy undead could potentially be safe or helpful, this is a wildly fringe case. What is more important, is to mention that natural undead lose their flesh naturally over time. This does not make them become an unnatural undead, obviously. The energy pathways become more efficient over time, so a natural skeleton can be much more dangerous than a natural zombie.
The necromantic method that creates unnatural undead is incompatible with natural undead; despite common belief, a necromancer cannot turn a Zombie into an ally - they cannot even control a Zombie.
Unnatural undead obviously have no sensory organs or connective tissues. They receive replacements during creation. The type can vary. Usually there is only sight sensors made, occasionally sound. Spectrum sight can be made to allow nightvision or heatvision. Any kind of sensor they could think of was possible. The standard connective magic is like a magnetic force that pulls the bones together at the joints - this same technique also provides a sort of armor that relies on ambient negative energy. Since there is no will, it doesn't exactly matter, but breaking an unnatural undead doesn't really "kill" it, it just turns it into a broken machine. Most are programmed to stop trying to move once a certain structural damage is reached. All of their functionality will end if overexposed to positive energy. If dropped in a desert where there's no energy, they'll enter a sort of hibernation mode until reactivated by nearby negative energy.
Even though there's a lot of death in this setting, natural undead aren't very common because of the presence of animals, monsters, and insects that will eat corpses. This, in combination with necromantic custom of flesh-stripping, means there isn't much of a sentimentality conflict.
Natural undead have a few phases of maturity; they become more powerful and intelligent over prolonged exposure to negative energy. Zombie is basically a baby. A step up is Ghoul (adolescence), which gives varying degrees of intelligence, usually as much as an animal. Wights (adulthood) bring a level of intelligence similar to what would be expected of the source body's race, but with more power and hindered agility. There is not actually a cap on this growth, it just becomes less realistic to encounter because the nature of the adventurer is to go to forbidden places and conquer them. The stage beyond is Revenant, and always holds some degree of supernatural power. Beyond power, motives also change appropriately, beginning with a distortion of instinct and developing a monster's will.
There is a major exception to the above: simply destroying the body only works against Zombies and Ghouls. Because the pathways of the Zombie are determined by the pathways it had in life, and those pathways being largely determined by the processing of positive energy - since role of the energy pathways is altered and not merely flipped (undead have no use for positive energy, even though a living body can utilize small amounts of negative energy), over time the structuring of the energy pathway array changes to become more efficient. Zombies can be destroyed just by stripping their flesh; their pathways are in the flesh, as they were in life. Ghouls must have their bones destroyed as well as their flesh, as their entire physical form (whatever is left) is crammed full of new pathways. Wights integrate their energy pathway array into their metaphysical cores, creating a new type of consciousness; these are clearly intelligent, but probably can't talk even if they knew a language to speak with (as the central nervous system is still fully defunct, but at least they can manage their own numbness decently). Wights still retain the physical energy array they had as Ghouls, and can be destroyed like a Ghoul - this is because the remaining metaphysical pathways are not yet able to draw in negative energy on their own, so the metaphysical core will enter starvation mode and be unable to wake up again or mature further (on its own). To actually destroy a Wight takes the same method as for the Revenant, but I don't think even [protag C] would realize. Revenant growth is mostly an overcoming of detriments through supernatural force; they can replace their physical sensory systems with metaphysical ones at will - including creation of new systems that never existed physically (they could make an "eye" that can see what action you're about to do, for example). Revenant energy arrays are entirely metaphysical, so destroying a revenant means you have to somehow destroy or cleanse their metaphysical core.
Now, most people in setting don't consider these to be monsters. There isn't actually a desire to destroy them fully, even if they understood what does and does not destroy these natural undead. Most adventurers are satisfied just torching the things or burying them or otherwise rendering them to immobile piles. This isn't hard to accomplish for Zombies. Ghouls will continue moving even without flesh, but they will be blind and fragile. Wights continue moving without flesh, but aren't fragile - they're still blind, but they can think and "feel", so they can make decent guesses for combat. Revenants barely care about losing their bodies and will switch to focusing on magic attacks. This is important because disablement of any of these without destruction basically guarantees the future birth of a Revenant. There may one day be a reckoning.
Monsters that become natural undead generally lose any special abilities they had, unless they're usable with no magic and can be used without intelligence. An undead slime could still engulf and dissolve things. An undead Dragon would lose his ability to fuse and aura of commandment. A rare exception would be if a monster is killed with a heavy load of raw negative energy, in which case it would maintain an afterimage of its mind/will at time of death - [protag C] can do this, but would not normally overload a target to this extent.
Common knowledge:
Unnatural undead refers to the widely known skeletons utilized by necrobuilders (and necromancers). So skeletal undead are pretty much always safe or helpful. ["Natural undead" and "unnatural undead" are not distinctions made by characters in-setting! This is a distinction for us to communicate.]
Since the difference between safe undead and unsafe undead is whether they've had their flesh stripped, there have been a lot of cases where people try to give undead to necromancers. There has been a gradual trend among necromancers to stop trying to explain why this isn't helpful, in which case they just quietly report the Zombies for extermination. Cases of people corraling and capturing Zombies for this purpose should be rare now, as they at least understand the potential danger despite Zombies not being classified as monsters.
The necrobuilders tried to establish customary funeral rites that involve fire or some other flesh-destroying method. It was not widely successful. [The places that did adopt these rites are actually practicing rudimentary necromancy, which ensures all of the effected corpses are incapable of becoming natural undead (thus ensuring a supply for the necrobuilders).]
Natural undead are mostly encountered in the zombie variety. Zombie meaning an immature natural undead that has a noticeable amount of flesh covering it. The corpse can be from any living thing. Not often seen with corpses of anything that has no will of its own or that has no central nervous system; zombie insects would be a rarity. [What's actually required is a type of energy pathway array in the body, but that's hard to illustrate.]
There isn't much of a classification system for natural undead by adventurers. The expectation is that the maturity/danger is directly represented by cunning and intelligence. Zombies are basically savage retards, ineffectively flailing or biting themselves. Sometimes they won't even notice you destroying their bodies. It's embarassing to die by these.
There is unverified rumor that killer skeletons exist. It isn't given much consideration.
Natural undead can gain strange mutations which grant them additional abilities. So some caution is warranted if they look stranger than a moving corpse should look. [This is actually a type of symbiosis from other monsters.]
Cloud's Fear
Classification: monster
Type: drifting
Habitat: the sky at cloud height
Likes: radiation from above
Dislikes: clouds
Threat level: 0/10 (7/10 if you're flying higher than 40ft)
Behavior:
Sort of like a semi-gaseous jellyfish. Looks kind of like green translucent foam from above. They get most of their energy from solar radiation and the rest from flesh they capture with tendrils. Solid waste does build up, but is only excreted when it rests on the ground.
Any moving object that touches a tendril will get caught on the tendril's barbs. It uses its tendrils to completely wrap its prey, lifts them up near the main body, and then starts eating it once struggling has stopped. It will not waste energy crushing its victim, it will wait for them to give up. The tendrils adhere tightly to prey, acting with a mild velcro force with other tendrils (the enacting barbs retract once struggling stops).
It only rests to wait out excessive cloud cover. It will take what lunar radiation it can get. So most often, it would be encountered during a storm - you'd come across what seems like a suspicious green fog bank, and likely nope the fuck out. It will leave behind the waste remains of its victims. It is possible for other monsters to kill it if it rests near them, and then some explorer would find this bizarre scene not realizing what they're seeing. They are not intelligent, but they at least instinctually avoid areas with a lot of motion when finding a place to rest, so none have willingly landed in a citystate. They do not "sleep" when at rest, so they will fight back if attacked.
If they get hungry, they'll seek out a forest and drag a tall tree for animals. If there are no trees, they may be bolder and attack groundwalkers, but this is only known to happen in the desert.
It's an ironic monster, because it ends up terrorizing birdmen the most and it was an ancient pack of birdmen that caused the fear that created it. The ancient druids that would fly were struck down by empowered, bitter birdmen. They didn't know it was birdmen; they thought it was some monster. The birdmen weren't keen on a straight fight, so they maintained guerilla attacks from cloudcover (but not during a storm, obviously).
It is possible for one to get stuck in a valley and even to cover the entire valley. While it then becomes difficult for it to find food and survive, it will probably kill off all the plant life in the valley as it takes all the radiation and heat from light (it's not true photosynthesis, so some plants may survive).
They can only hold so much weight, depending on their size. If they trap more than they can carry, they will burn energy to crush and drop the victim. Since this is inefficient, they will pull back their tendrils when they're starting to struggle with weight. They're held aloft by a sort of gas membrane [don't make me research this].
The victims are still visible mid-air until fully digested, so it's possible to hunt them down if you're willing to guess that there aren't others around. What can't be eaten is dropped down wherever, which can cause complications below.
Common knowledge:
Despite the ability to "fly" with spirit magic (or actually fly for birdmen), this monster is why it is avoided. It is not omnipresent, but it is invisible from below. It's only able to be speculated by whether you can feel the heat of the sun (the hanging corpses can have other causes). Cloud cover is seen as safe, since it's believed that clouds fear it. No one knows what size to expect of it, or how many there may be. Cloudless days are an ill omen for birdmen.
There is generally no surviving the attack of one. A person that's flying will suddenly get stuck and dragged upwards.
It's unclear whether they attack at night time, as the cover of night might be hiding the attack of some other monster.
A clever mage needing to fight birdmen in broad daylight will try to induce a slight chill to make them reluctant to fly.
[horse crab]
Classification: monster
Type: dumb mutant
Habitat: flatlands, plains
Likes: bullying hoofers
Dislikes: proper weapons
Threat level: 3/10 (6/10 against hoofers)
Behavior:
Mostly just wanders around passively grazing. Not territorial, but will defend itself. It is actually anti-territorial, specifically trespassing on hoofer territory when possible.
Does not try to kill hoofers, but will harm, obstruct, and mangle them. Its hide is fairly thick and it has strong bones, so it naturally resists the bludgeoning of hoofers. It is not even aggressive in bullying the hoofers; it will just invade and be a huge bother, only attacking in self defense.
To make things worse for the hoofers, this dumb monster instinctively knows how hoofmen attack, so it counters all their impulsive aggression pretty well. The only ways for hoofers to defeat it is: outside help, a rare hoofer mage, or a unified attack from the whole tribe.
It is a mockery of the hoofmen, designed to make them embarassed. Co-existing would be too much trouble because the monster actively wants to not co-exist.
Common knowledge:
It's like a really big two-headed horse, but the skeleton gives it a shape resembling a crab - the two heads where the pincers of a crab would be. [it should be both goofy and horrific] It does make frequent horse sounds from the two heads. Awful.
Pretty good source of meat, so no one really needs to slaughter hoofers for meat. It's known that the hoofers hate it, but that they're also kind of dependent on others for killing it. (this reaffirms the social rift)
Gryphon
Classification: monster
Type: narcissistic heckler
Habitat: mountains
Likes: flattery
Dislikes: birdmen
Threat level: 3/10 (6/10 against birdmen)
Behavior:
50/50 cat/bird, but the parts are shifted. About three times the size of a birdman. The entire body is covered in feathers, even the tail. The skeleton and musculature is very cat-like, but a bit lean and thin-boned. The feet are all uniformly bird-like talons. It can be hard to make out, but there are little feather covered ears on the top of the head. The eyes are cat-like. The beak has jagged protrusions like fangs.
Hunts more like a cat than a bird, even though the lack of paws makes stealth difficult. It'll use a little flight to make up for it. When it attacks people, it's generally not doing it for food because it's actually very particular about what it eats and is acting territorially.
The main thing about gryphons is that they like to take over birdmen villages. They always start this takeover with brute force, but they become entrenched through narcissistic abuse. They demand tribute and special treatment. They try to not rely on physical violence when possible, but are quick to dispense it if unhappy, as they do not in any way value the birdmen they tyrannize.
The birdmen are miserable like this, and regularly enact plots and schemes to eliminate an entrenched Gryphon. However, the Gryphons are made to bully birdmen, so they are well aware of how they operate and how to cut the plots short.
The Gryphon often makes ridiculous requests, just as a frivolous display of power. Like redesigning the village in ways that are a hindrance. Affected villages gradually self-destruct.
The Gryphon likes being flattered and will try to extract flattery from random birdmen. It will also act upset if flattered too eagerly, just to keep the birdmen on edge.
The birdmen are generally too bitter to make a clear-headed plan in this scenario, and are often kept too busy with bullshit demands to suck up their pride and ask for outside help.
Common knowledge:
One of the few creatures seen flying around, though mostly near the mountains. Unpleasant to fight due to poor footing versus a flying enemy, but unremarkable in overall power.
Somewhat intelligent. Enough to talk and shriek. Just more annoyances. Not smart enough for strategy or invention.
Since most avoid the mountains and birdmen villages, not much else is known.
[standing water]
Classification: magic monster
Type: slime
Habitat: still water
Likes: body heat, saliva
Dislikes: motion, extreme temperatures
Threat level: 3/10
Behavior:
Will destroy ecosystems it lives in, so you can potentially tell if one is in a pond by whether there's any animals moving under the water. Then again, there are things other than animals and this monster that move under water, so it's not a great strategy.
Detects prey with temperature, vibration, and chemical (saliva, basically). Will wait until some water above it is being consumed or withdrawn and attack. It will project in the general direction of the target, both trying to drag them into the water with one portion of the body and using another portion to try suffocating them. If target was drinking directly from the water with their tongue, there isn't much avoiding it. The suffocation occurs from it lodging into the throat and fighting against the swallowing reflex, to block the air flow.
If you get dragged into the water and keep your mouth shut, it will try your other orifices but be unable to suffocate you as effectively through the nose because it sort of feeds off the saliva of the mouth normally. You probably won't be able to make it on your own if the water was deep, and anyone going in after you will get caught as well. It's not exactly impossible to swim out, it's just really hard.
Does not consume its victims. Portions that successfully kill people turn into normal water.
The easiest test is to strike the water and watch how the ripples move, but this isn't widely known due to avoidance. Boiling and freezing temperatures both kill it, but only boiling is known. It's known that freezing the water lets you pass by safely, at least. Spitting in the water can test for it too, but also unknown. Excessive vibrations can kill it, but not normal physical attacks. So ironically, a good way to survive being drowned by one is to thrash wildly rather than try to get out only by drowning (doesn't kill it, but it backs off some from the thrashing).
Will not crawl out of water of its own volition, but if somehow forced out of the water, it will wander around aimlessly for a few hours and settle into a puddle trap on the ground somewhere. Generally ineffective at killing like this, but it can be quite a scare or a major hindrance during a fight.
Some spells that target water target the monster too (no one writes down what's really being targeted, "water" is just a shorthand sometimes), so magic can have surprising results.
Common knowledge:
The monster is a water-like slime, so testing for its presence demands interaction. Careless interaction can rouse it into attacking, which is typically single target internal suffocation. Once it starts, you can't safely save the victim. The threat level is low because it's often simple to avoid standing pools of water. If you can't kill the monster in time to save its victim, you are expected to kill the victim before the monster can, just as a matter of honor.
Small volumes of water can't birth one these monsters, even though the monster doesn't have a verifiable size. So shallow puddles are seen as safe.
Towns that store water will have fighters on hand when unloading any stored water, in case of an accident. It's typically tested right outside the storage area and then transported/distributed.
Water is exposed to heat to test for this monster. Boiling the water kills it in an obvious way. Drinking the remaining fluid is a bit slimy, but it's culturally attractive to consume monsters you kill. Not to the point where it's desirable to foster them, though.
[doppelganger mirror type]
Classification: magic monster
Type: local curse
Habitat: mirrors
Likes: being broken
Dislikes: darkness
Threat level: 7/10
Behavior:
Not exactly a monster so much as a curse affecting a mirror that produces evil clones of any creature in the room. The reproduction is triggered by looking your reflection in the eye, after which it will come out. Coming out of the actual mirror is preferred, but since there's no limit on the size, a teleportation may occur.
If the mirror is broken, the reproduction only requires looking at a broken piece of the mirror. A broken shard of cursed mirror functions this way anywhere it's taken.
The clone has all abilities and equipment relevant to the copied creature. It does not copy all knowledge, but it is granted intimate knowledge of how all copied abilities and equipment function (often surpassing the knowledge of the original). Knowledge of known magic is granted, but the ability to cast that magic is not granted.
Clones are "evil" in that they are focused on causing mayhem and destruction. They are trapped within the range of what's reflected in the mirror (generally the containing room) and will disappear after a few hours if left alone. They must focus on killing the creature they cloned first thing. If they accomplish this, the original disappears and the clone is free of the mirror's range. They are not intelligent enough to infiltrate societies.
Clones try to not touch the cursed mirror they came from. If it's covered, the clone disappears. If the clone is tricked into breaking the mirror, the curse breaks and all existing clones from that cursed mirror disappear, even if freed (no one knows this).
Mirrors cannot be cloned like this - they come out as similar but cloudy in surface. Clones have no discernable reflections in mirrors. Magic items and soul steel artifacts can be cloned with exact functionality.
There is an old variant of the curse involving pools of still water, but water is so widely avoided that it's not really known of anymore.
Common knowledge:
Fair fights are hard fights. Recommended to cover any mirrors discovered in order to avoid. The exact reason isn't widely known, but it's bad luck to break mirrors in dungeons.
Attestor
Classification: magic monster
Type: challenger
Habitat: Attestor's domain
The domain is composed of an entranceway connected to two rooms: a training room and the challenge room. The training room is open. The challenge room is covered by a locked, heavy door.
The challenge room is simple. It is riddled with eyelids of various sizes and positions. The largest is in the back and is the "main body" - it is open and watching upon entrance.
The training room is filled with watching eyes. There are three panels that activate by standing on them. The first panel causes a large eye to close slowly. If it closes naturally like this, it makes the person on the panel (that it's looking at) lose consciousness for a few minutes. The second panel causes a small eye to close slowly. This one causes temporary paralysis targeted on some body part that the eye was looking at. The third panel triggers a series of weak lasers to shoot at everyone in the room from random eyes.
The eyes can all be damaged, but they regenerate quickly. Various magical effects work. Obstructing vision with physical objects works. Illusions work. Evasion can work, but is difficult.
The challenge room door unlocks and opens after all three panels in the training room are triggered at least once.
Likes: n/a
Dislikes: n/a
Threat level: unmeasured
Behavior:
The gaze of the Attestor is unpleasant and studious. All it does is watch, until it is attacked - then the door will slam shut and remain locked until the battle is over. Any person targeted can tell they're targeted by feeling, and they will generally know what part of them being targeted even if it doesn't make sense logically.
The battle will have 3 phases. All damage inflicted by the challengers is rapidly regenerated (or instantly undone in prolonged circumstances). It's basically an endurance match; surviving to the end is victory. Each phase adds new attacks and retains previous attacks.
(I shouldn't have to spell this out, but no, you can't trick the boss into targeting itself.)
Phase 1 involves only the main eye. The following three attacks are used for a set amount of time. 'I Win' is always the first attack.
I Win: The pupil dilates and the eye blinks slowly. If successful, everything that is not part of the natural state of the room is erased from existence.
You're Out: The pupil contracts and the eye blinks at normal speed (twice as fast as 'I Win'). If successful, one target person and everything they have equipped is erased from existence.
My Vision Unobstructed: The eye blinks at double speed. If successful, one obstruction ceases to exist. If the obstruction is not physical, it is dispelled or otherwise reverted. Challengers do not count as obstructions.
Phase 2 begins with the opening of every eye in the room. The phase ends when each smaller eye has been used once, after which it does not re-open (so you can see how much longer the phase lasts). The smaller eyes will attack one at a time while the large eye attacks repeatedly.
Blue Lies: A small eye blinks at double speed. If successful, one illusion or deception ceases to exist. Can target unseeable things, like invisibility.
Red Lies: A small eye blinks at double speed. If successful, one challenger has a lie that they tell themselves erased. Psychological ramifications exponentially decrease performance.
Limb: A small eye blinks slowly. If successful, one targeted limb of one targeted challenger ceases to exist.
Your Privilege Annulled: The large eye glazes over and stops reacting for several seconds. This cannot fail. One spell or supernatural ability stops working for the rest of the battle.
Try To Stop Me: The large eye contracts its pupil and spreads its eyelids. This attack instantly succeeds, but will stop if line of sight is broken or the eye is otherwise disrupted. The target is examined meticulously - their secrets, hopes, fears, memories, regrets, forgotten memories, everything. Psychological strain accumulates as this attack persists.
Desperate Plan: A small eye blinks quickly. Target forgets what they were about to do. Can only be used against a challenger targeted by 'Try To Stop Me'.
Phase 3 begins with the opening of every eye in the room for a second time. All eyes dislodge from the surface of the room with limited mobile range and increased angle coverage. They are all connected by roots of flesh. This phase lasts for 10 minutes. As time progresses, more simultaneous attacks are permitted - up to 8 small eyes will be acting simultaneously by the final minute. 'This Is The End' is the final attack, and performed only the one time.
What Was Taken For Granted: The large eye spreads its eyelids and dilates its pupil. Two smaller eyes dilate their pupils. This effect is instantly successful and lasts until one of the three eyes are disrupted (obstructions and illusions do not help, it generally needs to be damage). One of the following is erased for the duration of this attack, chosen at random: gravity, oxygen, vibration (no sound, sense of touch dampened).
Data Filter: A small eye blinks slowly. Target becomes overwhelmed by cognitive data as they lose the ability to filter and focus.
Line of Sight: A small eye instantly emits a beam that prohibits the passage of sensory data through it. This attack lasts several seconds. The beam shifts slowly and at random. It does not pass through obstructions.
Just Kidding: The large eye blinks at four times speed. All sensory data is erased as long as the eye remains closed. Lasts a few seconds. All other attacks are paused during this time, as all eyes lose their targets, but new targets are chosen for the same attacks when this attack ends.
This Is The End: Regeneration ends. Every eye begins one random attack, simultaneously. Each eye falls lifelessly after performing its attack.
The ceremony of award takes place for any survivors. Bargains and promises are made unspoken by the victors and carved into the world. What can be gained is different for each challenger-class monster.
Common knowledge:
unknown
amphibians?
lake dwellers?
skinwalkers?
doppelganger sleep type?
doppelganger dumb type?
running water?
silence?
Hand of Fear
takes: gaiety
stats: mostly water. 2 Injuries to kill, 20 Stamina
appearance: nearly invisible when not attacking. disembodied hand.
true form: mass of tangled tendrils. moves like a noodle-legged spider. purple and gray. covered in a magical ichor that camouflages it.
residence: close proximity to handles of many types. likes quiet areas, and cold.
behavior: grasp first hand that attempts to use handle. motionless if any loud sounds nearby. becomes dormant after attacking, its ichor evaporating and its body hardening to resemble a knot of vines. reproduces if left mostly intact for a week after going dormant
attacks: it has one passive attack and one active attack
scent of terror: the magical ichor covering the hand of fear radiates an aura of terror out to 4ft away. this has no real effect other than to warn of danger. makes nose feel cold, but has no actual smell.
fear's grip: a feeling of cold air precedes the grasp and can be dodged with a difficult reflex check. failing this reflex check, it grabs your hand or wrist and inflicts 3 Stress. this attack ends by the time you can actually try to get it off, leaving you to pry its hardened form from your limb. any damage resistance from armor can also resist the stress damage dealt by this attack, but at half normal effectiveness.
weakness: the ichor camouflaging it is highly flammable. dies after 2 seconds of burning, quietly melting into a disgusting mound of slime that smells like freshly baked bread.
materials: if melted, it is actually a delicious pudding, but has such a disgusting appearance that it will take a spirit check to put it in your mouth. ichor must be burned or removed before attempting consumption, as it is poisonous (mercury poisoning). if you can salvage its ichor, it might be useful
Wendigo
takes: what it loved the most in life (can roll 2d10 to estimate how many times it has taken this)
stats: likely double Body and Cognition, with Spirit=0. elements reduced to 1 at birth, but all increase by 1 with each take. patterns erased. specialties remain. max Stamina equal to how many takes it has performed, no Injury, dies when Stamina depleted. Stamina completely refilled after a take.
appearance: very similar to person's original appearance. signs of necrosis, but no significant deterioration
residence: wandering monster, goes where it might find what it's looking for, based on memories from life
behavior: performs anything possible to take what it wants. chooses most direct approach available. has no care for anything but its desire, and may possibly pose no threat to anyone.
attacks: whatever mundane attacks it might have used in life
weakness: none, other than being somewhat easily baited if you can figure out what it wants
materials: pity and lingering fear prevent you from eating the remains. any items they carried are yours now
Jobber
takes: its own death
stats: armor1, Stamina8, Injury4, elements2, primaries1, no specialties
appearance: like a deformed, hairless, hateful dog person. if it has undergone any successful respawns, it will be wearing pieces of its previous bodies (typically things that'll stay solid, like teeth).
residence: wandering monster. has been encountered in several regions. can be encountered in groups
behavior: looks for people to attack. tries to kill them with no regard for personal safety, meaning it may show up when least expected. if in a group, can be heard barking, but it is unknown if they have any true language. the death of this monster will, if left alone, be followed by a respawn after 10 hours have passed. the body will grow abnormally cold, but gradually become warm. the spawning itself is explosive, as the new incarnation blasts apart the old body that surrounded it. the new incarnation will be larger and have increased stats (armor+1, Stamina+4, Injury+2, elements+2, primaries+2). this process can repeated infinitely, but requires that the body remain mostly intact (spinal cord + brain, and all vital organs still present) until the 10 hours have passed, and requires that it have died by the actions of a person. so it is highly recommended to remove the head from the body once you have killed one.
attacks: nothing unique. attacks however it can, usually melee combat
weakness: nothing, but you don't need a weakness
materials: the skin makes decent leather. easy source of meat, is good enough when cooked. any junky items it had with it
Grinder
takes: intolerance (roll 1d6, comes pre-defeated and filled with soma on a 6)
stats: Injury1, releases hazard when killed (unless somehow contained)
active form: Stamina100 (death at 0), earth10, air5, fire8, water2
appearance: about the size of a beach ball, but it's an egg. regular white, possibly some speckles. if you listen closely, roll Cognition vs 6 to hear faint grinding coming from within the egg. weighs as if it were made of wood.
active form: like a tentacled mass, but made entirely of thin bones that are partially crystallized. makes a grinding sound as it moves, because its salt crystal joints grind apart to move.
residence: calm/open spaces where it won't be broken by nature
behavior: just sits there. if shell is broken, the active form comes out.
active form: rolls towards nearest person and attempts to attack them with salt lance, as well as anyone else within reach at the same time. if target is distant, it will give chase, but run out of Stamina and die after 5 minutes (it burns 20 Stamina every minute of chasing).
attacks: none (active form attacks: 2 active attacks)
salt lance: accuracy=11+[number of additional uses in this round], damage=(Stamina6, Injury2+Salt1poison), cost/use=Stamina2, priority=10/[simultaneous uses]. can use multiple times in a round, decreasing range (priority bonus) of each attack according to the number of attacks it is making simultaneously. roll 1d6 to determine number of simultaneous uses in a round, but if you roll a 1, use grinder instead of salt lance.
grinder: must initiate with a successful immobilization attempt earth10 [vs target's air]. target is drawn into the monster's mass for the following 2 rounds. target can escape during those 2 rounds if monster takes 20 Stamina damage during that timeframe, if they can increase their air stat higher than 10, or if monster takes any damage from water. if target has not escaped, they are mostly/completely engulfed by the monster and start taking heavy damage as the monster focuses on grinding them. every round, target suffers Stamina20, Injury4+Salt2poison while the monster spends Stamina10. once grinding has started, it will stop only if target's body is completely shredded (monster spends all of its Stamina and dies) or if the monster suffers any water damage.
weakness: tolerance (you can defeat it by trying to care for it)
active form: weak to water (dissolves the connecting material for the bones) but gains water resistance equal to fire applied to it (boiling still kills it)
materials: if defeated without breaking shell, contains soma (inebriative hallucinogen, gain meta-currency). shell seems to have no use. if defeated after breaking shell, the bones and salt can make a good soup stock, though removing the bones from it can be difficult. if defeated after breaking shell, the bones (remember they are small) can be used as weaponry
[waiting egg]
takes: tolerance (1d8 to determine collected tolerance)
stats: Injury4, but instantly heals non-fatal damage (fatal damage ruptures the shell)
appearance: about the size of a beach ball, but it's an egg. regular white, possibly some speckles. weighs as if it were made of stone.
residence: low altitude locations where it can be seen without difficulty
behavior: just sits there. waits to be acknowledged as an anomaly but the choice to not bother with it be made. it gains a tolerance for each instance. it still counts if the person messes with it and then decides to leave it alone.
attacks: 1 passive
birth: when 10 tolerance has been collected, egg cracks open, and a (monster?) steps out
weakness: intolerance and heat (can be cooked as found to defeat)
materials: shell can be ground into a powder that improves regeneration. filling is a viscous slime that starts as yellow, but becomes a dark green as it collects tolerance. tolerance 5 and below makes for some good egg food (when cooked). still nutritious raw, but is so viscous that it's not really worth the effort. tolerance 6 and above stinks of sulphur and is rather bitter, but can provide nutrition. can actually function as an alchemical paste. toxic if raw; smells worse while cooking, but final product won't smell as bad
Shade
takes: fire of life
stats: Stamina[3d20], water[3d4]. dies when Stamina reaches 0
appearance: a vague shadow. appears in light, but not starlight (sun and moon included). almost impossible to see when dormant
true form: no, that's it - it's just a shadow. it just acts like it might be more than a shadow
residence: places with partial lighting and reduced wind, like forests. possible to encounter in dark places, like caves. they typically pick a spot and don't move unless light reaches them.
behavior: they have a preference for fire light. becomes active in light (non-star), seeking out potential targets. places itself on target and begins attacking until target dies or it dies. if a shade is completely covered by a shadow, it becomes dormant, ending all attacks, but still remaining on the target. a shade that is dormant on a person can be felt as a subtle itching or dampness. can be a serious hazard during winter, due to its thriving in flame and major symptom of cold. if subjected to more air than a strong breeze, the shade flees and seeks shelter (this is how most encounters with shades are ended).
attacks: 3 active attacks, all requiring direct contact with the target and for the shade to not be dormant
blot: absorbs 2 Stamina from target (shade gains the Stamina damage dealt) over the course of 1 minute. becomes colder each time this attack is used, but typically isn't noticed if the target is sleeping. the shade becomes darker as it becomes colder, as well, offering more of an opportunity for people to notice it. can put out fires if shade's water is 3 times the potency of the fire (they rarely choose to do this).
quell: target's Stamina must be 0 to use this. target makes a Spirit roll [vs shade's water#]. this attack fails if the roll is higher than the shade's water#, but it may try again if its water# increases. if the roll is lower than the shade's water#, the following occurs: shut down functionality of Guts, and then the target suffers paralysis as long as shade maintains active contact. if the roll gets a critical failure, drain highest elemental stat of target by 1 permanently (if multiple tied, they are each drained by 1), in addition to the effects of regular failure.
snuff: target's Stamina must be 0 to use this, and quell must have been used on target (whether or not it was successful). target makes a Guts roll [vs shade's water#]. success negates this attack. failure (Guts being disabled is an automatic failure) causes target to take 1 Stress damage. critical failure causes target to be stunned for a round and destabilized for the next round, along with the failure effect of 1 Stress damage. if the Stress damage caused by snuff would cause a pattern to develop (normally, when unassigned Stress reaches 3), it is instead reduced by 3, and the target takes 1 Injury. shade gains 1 water for every Injury caused by this attack.
weakness: shadows (makes them dormant), air (makes them flee), and lightning (2 Stamina damage for every point of lightning)
strength: fire (+1 Stamina if fire applied directly to shade. shade is attracted to flame if no person is near)
materials: unknown
Chittering Mirage
takes: sanctity of mind
stats: damage resistance 12, Stamina20, Injury10
appearance: cannot be found reliably while under influence of whispered lies. if not hallucinating, can see its true form.
true form: a scaled mass, with shape and color adapted over time to blend in with its surroundings. its scales move independently; its mass constantly writhing to produces the chittering sound. its scales are very hard, but it is easy enough to attack between them.
residence: anywhere with obstacles that can obscure sight. prefers vegetation obstacles
behavior: once it's settled, it will chitter endlessly and do nothing else. this chittering can be heard for miles, despite not being very loud at its source
attacks: 2 passive attacks
whispered lies: same range as boastful chitter. any person within range must pass a Reason check [vs 3* (range of whispered lies - your distance from the chittering mirage) +4] every 10 minutes to resist suffering hallucinations. the hallucinations serve to put people on edge, give them false flags about monsters that really are there, and just make you an easy mark for most monsters. if you fall victim to these hallucinations, you can only recover by getting at least a mile away from the source (and then passing a new Reason check, if still in range), or by being unable to hear the chittering any more. hallucinations may become more severe with prolonged exposure.
boastful chitter: range of 4 miles, +1 mile for every other monster within range. any monsters within range of boastful chitter decide to stay within range of it. this is not limited to wandering monsters, as stationary monsters may end up in these areas.
weakness: deafness (covering ears doesn't work very well, but may help)
materials: the scales are a wonderful resource, being harder than their weight in brass. the innards are all a vague mush, but it cooks up fine. the innards can be a fine gut material for making high tension string, but it involves some difficult prep work to be better than standard
Nemesis
takes: parts of people's character sheets
stats: +(primares1, elements2, Stamina4) per person taken, random amounts of knowledge and skill learned
new-born: Body9, Cognition9, Spirit9, fire12, air12, water12, earth12, item slots = 40, Stamina36, Injury10 (this includes taking from birthing corpse)
appearance: always appears to be obscured by shadows, but it's more of a dark aura that clings to its spongy, hairless skin (persisting even in death). vaguely man-shaped, externally, with exaggerated and distorted features. bone structure very similar to people. seeing one in the open usually means imminent conflict.
residence: none, wanders
behavior: will not actively harm another monster. intelligent, careful. often stalks targets for some time to learn about what they can do. can occasionally apply subtle manipulation to other monsters to make things harder for a person. avoids large groups (10+) of people. has no supernatural combat potential, so will mostly utilize mundane means of attack. will fight dirty. may create crude traps. often feels an urge to kill people by the same methods that his source corpse was created by. will directly manipulate any Wendigos that it encounters. no one has ever seen two in one area at the same time.
attacks: 1 passive, 1 active (not including attacks it's learned from taking). will gain unique anti-people techniques if it can defeat a total of 10 people
monster perks: knows general information about any monsters up to 3 miles away. knows detailed information about any monster it sees. immune to passive attacks of other monsters. other monsters will not attempt to use active attacks against Nemesis.
study: abnormal logic and senses allow nemesis to learn many things through the study of people. can gain a portion of stats from dissecting and consuming a dead person, as well as some portion of their memories and abilities.
veteran techniques: martial arts, psychological warfare, poison craft, full knowledge of people anatomy
weakness: none
materials: careful study of corpse may give insight into monster biology. eating the brain of a nemesis will give (primaries+1, elements+2, and a scar that makes you afraid of whatever killed its source corpse). the skin can be used as a shroud to help you hide, if you can preserve it carefully enough. carrying the bones of a nemesis will cause other nemesis monsters to avoid you
Shimmering Horror
takes: curiousity
stats: mostly air. Reflex10. 0 Stamina and 1 Injury, but immune to damage unless it's from earth-element materials. moves slowly, unless there's a breeze that it can ride.
appearance: it looks like your dreams being shattered. you aren't comprehending what's in front of you, and your eyes tear up when you try to focus on it. if seen from a distance while dormant, it will look like its location is covered in a thin film of dew or slime, because of the shimmering.
true form: a man-sized, half-real, floating cloth. translucent, shimmering in light. contracted and smoothed when dormant. expanded and hanging mid-air when active.
residence: smoothed against a patch of some still surface (nothing living or subject to motion by weather) in the outdoors. not avoidant of rocks, despite its weakness. picks uncommon resources to wait near, or any portals that may be present.
behavior: remains dormant until a person falls victim to horror's shroud, and then it will attempt to use death mask on nearest target, slowly floating towards its intended target. will fly into the sky to hide in a cloud if it can kill someone, spawning several new Shimmering Horrors with a supernatural rain from the cloud once it is exposed to moonshine.
attacks: 2 passive attacks and 1 active attack
scent of terror: radiates an aura of terror out to 8ft away. makes nose feel cold, but has no actual smell. this is the best way to locate this monster, as the feeling of dread and coldness of the nose increase with proximity to it.
horror's shroud: horror's shroud is only effective against people that look at this monster from within range of scent of terror. you take 1 Stress damage every time you look directly at this monster (also, make a Spirit check vs [6 + 5*(# of beneficial patterns you have)] to avoid taking 1 more Stress damage. crit fail stuns you and forces you to look again). you cannot discern the form or location of this monster at all, visually.
death mask: if it can manage to touch you (like, if you try to melee attack it and don't kill it), it swiftly wraps around your face and head. target becomes asphyxiated. shimmering horror cannot be removed once asphyxiation begins unless it is killed. target suffers from horror's shroud every second that they have their eyes open during this process. attempting to damage horror's shroud during this will likely harm the asphyxiated target as well.
weakness: closing your eyes while in its range. attacking from out of its range. it taking damage from any earth-element material
materials: the shimmering cloth-like remains can filter psychological attacks and some gaseous attacks (would you want to put that over your face..?). strength of material can be of great value, if you don't mind the persisting earth weakness. attempts to eat this have all failed miserably, to date
[earth worm]
[fresh water monster]
[attracted to sound]
[time field hazard]
[rustling leaves]
[attracts other monsters]
[fog hazard]
[ontology vision]
[painkiller]
[sterilizer]
[garden of greed]
[horse crab]
[echo thresher]
[light trap lizard (aberration form: light repel lizard)]
['the cat came back' phenomenon]
[takes friction]
[takes ?]
