tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46847064598042892142024-03-08T13:22:45.362-08:00Straits of AniánUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4684706459804289214.post-1357340711073597682023-01-30T15:27:00.003-08:002023-01-30T19:23:14.426-08:00how to be erased<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE4kKBaHzDiIe2WLcKqu4GPaGNRjc_PA8ws-nZwNdUCGyUpKvArxk7suyGIm1ivkk9z6IwW-4G3VJMk48tCHnSp6QhJfCWMZA-yWzDQPL68AMLw36TLJmkOfR2ia2V9rHxpSWUxAg8kNPLahjVaIIj2mLnLD3l0Z2cnhgYSratYVdJQ7HGTzTV6YVKUg/s800/01.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="468" data-original-width="800" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE4kKBaHzDiIe2WLcKqu4GPaGNRjc_PA8ws-nZwNdUCGyUpKvArxk7suyGIm1ivkk9z6IwW-4G3VJMk48tCHnSp6QhJfCWMZA-yWzDQPL68AMLw36TLJmkOfR2ia2V9rHxpSWUxAg8kNPLahjVaIIj2mLnLD3l0Z2cnhgYSratYVdJQ7HGTzTV6YVKUg/w400-h234/01.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They will stand <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKnXURkR1ng" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">forever</a>.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: start;">
</blockquote><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
<i>The villages of the dead are 4 in number, arranged thus:</i></div><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: start;">
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: start;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>First is Hemlock-All-around, where from every branch on every tree a
goblin hangs, hollow-faced, eagle down sprinkling the earth from empty
orifices.</i></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: start;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>Second is Maggots-Writhing-on-Bark, where ghosts linger staring
blankly or falling to the floor, then to gibber and howl and writhe as
if their bones were aflame.</i></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: start;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>Third is Devouring-Mouth-of-the-Earth, were ghosts cower in
half-collapsed houses while hunched & massive shadows stalk the
alleys seeking to devour them.</i></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: start;">
<div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>Fourth is Never-Return, and I have not seen it, nor have any that recovered to speak of it to the living.</i></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
- Akomish spirit-canoer's report</div>
</blockquote></div><div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"></div> </div><div style="text-align: left;">We
do not really live in the world. We journey there, winding the wood or
skimming the sea, even on occasion grasping toward the Moon. But Man is
limited and liminal, dwelling in exceptions, on the borders of places,
in prairies and on riverbanks, wedged between sea and forest and sky.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">The
real world, the true one that stretches on forever beyond the sight of
Man, found somewhere out in the tall trees or rolling slowly over the
deepwater, is the Kingdom of the Dead.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">But
a right-thinking Man of good breeding limits his exposure to such
things. He knows the world and his place in it - mind filled with the
name and quality of every cape, hollow, and crag. He couldn't possibly
lose his way or become lost, shielded by certainty of his mastery.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">And yet, he may be <i>led astray</i>.
By birdsong or child's laugh or faint firelight, by promises of wealth
or warmth, primal urges from beyond the ken of men may coax the
otherwise sensible from their path, off into the wild.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">And
these creatures - ghosts and sprites and wilderlings all - they have a
King. When the lost flitter about in fear and confusion and pain, only
then to tire and cry out their despair, surrendering to sleep a final
time, then He is there, at their side, sudden as flame.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> <hr color="#cdcdcd" size="2" width="95%" /> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>The Road</b></span> <br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiAqUR9H8dQKW64yze9G2MIN7A-QM3ryq8VkprqoFT-yUrLbr6ioz84m1ycnqiAcU2Q6Fakj1dUTeZ0olecMqvVV6z3C9HkYR9z4q56-FAKqCLDDGNXcrNVC1CVfmf3uXED61QJdplNeutm2FT4SusMxu0SiYu9XWx0IgCLglBxZobjnRGI9cfCnvfalA"><img data-original-height="922" data-original-width="734" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiAqUR9H8dQKW64yze9G2MIN7A-QM3ryq8VkprqoFT-yUrLbr6ioz84m1ycnqiAcU2Q6Fakj1dUTeZ0olecMqvVV6z3C9HkYR9z4q56-FAKqCLDDGNXcrNVC1CVfmf3uXED61QJdplNeutm2FT4SusMxu0SiYu9XWx0IgCLglBxZobjnRGI9cfCnvfalA=w318-h400" width="318" /></a></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj2WwmsztZocGOttP8WhrU2BDU4qwypSfK-jDFUKFX0i8VK19WPi31QlpP7gBDyrrCdNX9l0g26FDV7etUW8wUHy_3rGq0_RIuXRyFgbbegh5edtT2s6xAAyxs4dTDeaVaIi8iUjzmVzZvK-bNEDy60HlOW-GKGx-f59fzC1QKUyexkHAY3lqhsNCgU2g" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="480" data-original-width="709" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj2WwmsztZocGOttP8WhrU2BDU4qwypSfK-jDFUKFX0i8VK19WPi31QlpP7gBDyrrCdNX9l0g26FDV7etUW8wUHy_3rGq0_RIuXRyFgbbegh5edtT2s6xAAyxs4dTDeaVaIi8iUjzmVzZvK-bNEDy60HlOW-GKGx-f59fzC1QKUyexkHAY3lqhsNCgU2g=w400-h271" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> <br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aIGfsEdRgXE/VbYJPNXi9-I/AAAAAAAADOc/1FvfJ-Ckapc/s1600/edone.jpg"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aIGfsEdRgXE/VbYJPNXi9-I/AAAAAAAADOc/1FvfJ-Ckapc/w248-h400/edone.jpg" width="248" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"> <br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> <div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN9TKrPdvCzmrIYdp9IZ3trA0t9w92bXcuUTlRrPL7RZ0pbRN8pwsg9j7A2yuKCt60jzlx4yr1aso5-DPQ699vBLJ2R_dRfetp15VJS0_1wXHFJQa8JvS2p-ABY7huYIAUU6P1E-83eGIK9gSrpybnOve7JFn7mO7O37El6Q4qDAnF3j2YQuIIHCIMJw/s640/Sitka_spruce_tumors,_Olympic_National_Park.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN9TKrPdvCzmrIYdp9IZ3trA0t9w92bXcuUTlRrPL7RZ0pbRN8pwsg9j7A2yuKCt60jzlx4yr1aso5-DPQ699vBLJ2R_dRfetp15VJS0_1wXHFJQa8JvS2p-ABY7huYIAUU6P1E-83eGIK9gSrpybnOve7JFn7mO7O37El6Q4qDAnF3j2YQuIIHCIMJw/w300-h400/Sitka_spruce_tumors,_Olympic_National_Park.jpg" width="300" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-a02I27-HeWw/VZcpq34KU0I/AAAAAAAACqo/7XJuxuwAp8M/s1600/s13.jpg"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-a02I27-HeWw/VZcpq34KU0I/AAAAAAAACqo/7XJuxuwAp8M/s400/s13.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> <br /><div><div style="text-align: start;"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DH_2eG5T77U/VX6KxWYgpXI/AAAAAAAACl0/sruxpxqIEMs/s1600/1.1245547431.guanajuato-mummies.jpg"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DH_2eG5T77U/VX6KxWYgpXI/AAAAAAAACl0/sruxpxqIEMs/w400-h266/1.1245547431.guanajuato-mummies.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
<hr color="#cdcdcd" size="2" width="95%" /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-llsfLhtIgHo/VXf-fOy6NkI/AAAAAAAACew/-s7uhZ9mZ2E/s1600/dendro.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-llsfLhtIgHo/VXf-fOy6NkI/AAAAAAAACew/-s7uhZ9mZ2E/w214-h320/dendro.jpg" width="214" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFRluc9Exfc" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Witness</a>! We have Changed our bodies!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;">
</div></div><b><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Becoming Lost</b></span></b> </div><div style="text-align: left;">The
following may in certain regions of the Mythic Wilderness serve as
substitution for the normal procedures that follow "Becoming Lost".<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Determine
whether the party becomes Lost as normal for terrain (noting carefully
the impact of traveling known trails on this chance). Subsequently,
instead of rolling for random movement direction, the party's location
on the hexmap does not update while Lost. They are assumed not to have
made meaningful progress toward their destination, instead beginning to
move along a different axis entirely.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">If
while already Lost, the party is determined to be Lost again, they
become Twice-lost. While in this state, there is a 2 in 6 chance that
any discovery or encounter is replaced with an equivalent Lost Encounter
(see below). <br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">If the party becomes Thrice-lost, this chance increases to 4 in 6.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">If
the party is determined to be lost a fourth time, they are Truly Lost.
The chance of a Lost encounter is now 6 in 6. At this point the party is
no longer on the hexmap proper, having crossed fully into the
deadlands: The trees twist in on themselves, directional markers are
conflicted and meaningless, daylight dims and refuses to change, etc.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">A
party cannot become Lost a fifth time. If this is rolled, they instead
reach an endpoint to their journey. There are a number of potential
destinations for this, but some examples are:</div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>The <b>Hemlock Throne</b>, seat of the nameless King. </li><li>A grave of the Wind that Bites from the Dark, strewn along the <b>Road to the Moon</b>. <br /></li><li>The <b>Slanted Lodge</b>, where shadows dance.</li><li>The abode of a great spirit, such as a Wealth-bringer, Grizzly Mother, or Inland Whale. <br /></li></ul><div style="text-align: left;">Once
such a location is discovered, it generally haunts the party until they
return to civilization. While they remain Lost, they always steadily
approach it. There was never any other option. <br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
<hr color="#cdcdcd" size="2" width="95%" /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Lost Encounters<br /></b></span></b></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">A d20 is thrown to determine the character of a Lost Encounter: </div><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Spatial drift</b>. When the party ceases to be Lost, update their location on the hexmap 1 space to the North. These changes are cumulative.</li><li><b>Spatial drift</b>. When the party ceases to be Lost, update their location on the hexmap 1 space to the Northeast. These changes are cumulative.</li><li><b>Spatial drift</b>. When the party ceases to be Lost, update their location on the hexmap 1 space to the Southeast. These changes are cumulative.</li><li><b>Spatial drift</b>. When the party ceases to be Lost, update their location on the hexmap 1 space to the South. These changes are cumulative.</li><li><b>Spatial drift</b>. When the party ceases to be Lost, update their location on the hexmap 1 space to the Southwest. These changes are cumulative.</li><li><b>Spatial drift</b>. When the party ceases to be Lost, update their location on the hexmap 1 space to the Northwest. These changes are cumulative. </li></ol></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdzoDC66UVfB4KuA6lIyoQn3SAQxV4dDXJtOPyedzC9dC_Wtk0M2NWbPDnuKVxkOxp8xZqm2l5deIiB_p1E28wCHEaMecE5LoMWF-shwOxriN2WVromTrfBoAHfHsRnknXoR_chd1D0UC_fvI0ZJYvmG3fohp4DDnkpknOChaKkGldsBQQeX4QpowBig/s1200/lars_von_trier_antichrist12.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="511" data-original-width="1200" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdzoDC66UVfB4KuA6lIyoQn3SAQxV4dDXJtOPyedzC9dC_Wtk0M2NWbPDnuKVxkOxp8xZqm2l5deIiB_p1E28wCHEaMecE5LoMWF-shwOxriN2WVromTrfBoAHfHsRnknXoR_chd1D0UC_fvI0ZJYvmG3fohp4DDnkpknOChaKkGldsBQQeX4QpowBig/w400-h170/lars_von_trier_antichrist12.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We await your arrival.</td></tr></tbody></table></div></div><ol start="7" style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Lost encounter</b>.
As normally-rolled encounter, but indicated creatures are lost,
distressed, paranoid. They feel they are being chased, harried by
spirits or unseen monstrosities. -4 to Reaction. If the normal encounter is supernatural, it
instead <i>seeks</i> something in a chase.<br /></li><li><b>Lost encounter</b>. As normally-rolled encounter, but indicated creatures are lost and eerily <i>not</i>
distressed. They are calm. They want you to stay here, to give up on
worry, to find a sweetly rotting bed to lie upon. Staying with them
invites attack from ghosts in the night. (These ignore the initially
encountered creatures.)<br /></li><li><b>Lost encounter</b>. As
normally-rolled encounter, but what is evidenced from a distance is
simply not found to be present at all. For example, copious tracks or
distant shouting lead to a clearing with no signs of recent habitation.<br /></li><li><b>Lost encounter</b>.
As normally-rolled encounter, but instead of any creature,
there is instead only copious evidence of presence. For example, an
empty camp with food still cooking on the fire. (Resting at such a place
causes a time distortion, see #19.)<br /></li><li><b>Lost encounter</b>.
As normally-rolled encounter, but indicated creatures are corpses,
laying dead on the ground. 2 in 6 chance they rise as ghosts if
disturbed.<br /></li><li><b>Lost encounter</b>. As normally-rolled
encounter, but when approached these are revealed to not really be
creatures after all, but instead carved wooden figures erected in a
posture that perhaps resembles some sort of encounter. They've been
rotting for years.<br /></li></ol><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR_Auz5y3aO9PrqiWajoRrRuXCNqNrw-857W8W8qILySd2mHStclhsPvzuTZA3IeN-_Vzs23Mc_49HYOSetFo4OwCNgwzatTW_aj317ze2PMAGwj_hFLlsFifQqjAmspzklSZ9e3lHBrIeI9R9344XjOGfxUGqnbFmuINCJinHjubqvbnYsDClFLR-XQ/s1920/dead1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR_Auz5y3aO9PrqiWajoRrRuXCNqNrw-857W8W8qILySd2mHStclhsPvzuTZA3IeN-_Vzs23Mc_49HYOSetFo4OwCNgwzatTW_aj317ze2PMAGwj_hFLlsFifQqjAmspzklSZ9e3lHBrIeI9R9344XjOGfxUGqnbFmuINCJinHjubqvbnYsDClFLR-XQ/w400-h225/dead1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Along avenues made open for you.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><ol start="13" style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Otters</b>.
An encounter with Otters, such as: The camp of a friendly family of d6
Land Otters, in human form. They offer you rest, and to guide you home
in the morning. They want you to leave your dogs far outside their camp
and will not say why. They offer you food. Accepting this aid increases
the level of Lost, or causes lethargy and soul loss if already Truly
Lost. (To a member of the Growling Cult: A crude collection of mud huts
inhabited by foul-smelling beastmen.)<br /></li><li><b>Slim people</b>. An
encounter with Slim People, such as: A deer is staked out in the open,
hung between trees, gutted. It is highly visible from a decent distance,
obvious. The meat is still good. The trees near it are hung with
figurines of bundled sticks. When approached, 2d6 Slim People, scattered
across the forest floor nearby, rise to attack.<br /></li><li><b>Ghostly rot</b>.
Something falls, dies, or rots in the immediate vicinity, leading to an
encounter with the Lost, such as: A tree crashes down from somewhere
uphill. The party is targeted by a Tree Striker. Its effective range is
equal to the average height of trees in this region. How fast can the
party move?<br /></li><li><b>Ghostly music</b>. Heard in the distance,
leading to an encounter with the Lost, such as: A whistler's glade where
a Lost Child cavorts, animating 2d6 carved wooden animals with his
flute, attacking intruders unless they dance and dance and dance as
partner to his idols. If his flute is stolen (it retains a portion of
his magic), he turns to wood as well.<br /></li><li><b>Ghostly fire</b>.
Seen in the distance, leading to an encounter with the Lost, such as: A
camp of 2d6 Ashen Ghosts crouched around a dim campfire. They appear as
normal humans in the flickering light. They want you to help build up
their fire. To teach them how to build fire. To make it hotter. To
gather materials for the fire. To put your possessions in the fire.
To put <i>yourself</i> in the fire.<br /></li><li><b>Ghostly weather</b>. Odd or unseasonable weather phenomena is observed, leading to an encounter
with the Lost, such as: The sun dawns, regardless of what time the
party previously thought it was. The land remembers its beginnings.
Morning fog surrounds, tinged slightly darker than it should be. It
burns off in a few hours, but if traversed the party is harassed by a
Dawn Shadow.<br /></li></ol><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZBVBLmTcRBnoaaavjn8BZU-2HXWCgc-Rw8PrwWomCOUicPhQF7WqTtZhV5ICSU0-qwQPioCDPeAFSZE9_2hdWj_Dme-s2CIU7nMpraUbB_ZJcj0EbtO3XXHY5u8kwkuEGZP_UMYH3lBadX4VMBN7EKx8MeNICUqIBTrgLPkj-EHPbwbJgJtA28MqBUQ/s2031/whale.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1044" data-original-width="2031" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZBVBLmTcRBnoaaavjn8BZU-2HXWCgc-Rw8PrwWomCOUicPhQF7WqTtZhV5ICSU0-qwQPioCDPeAFSZE9_2hdWj_Dme-s2CIU7nMpraUbB_ZJcj0EbtO3XXHY5u8kwkuEGZP_UMYH3lBadX4VMBN7EKx8MeNICUqIBTrgLPkj-EHPbwbJgJtA28MqBUQ/w400-h205/whale.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Patience is a virtue of the dead.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><ol start="19" style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Lost woods</b>. After an entire turn of travel, you find yourself approaching <i>exactly</i>
the same place as where you started out from. Once this is rolled, its
effect also replaces all results 1-6. If this specific entry (#19) is
rolled again, then the party also suffers a time distortion on ceasing
to be Lost, an additional 2d6 hours having passed by without their
notice, changing the time of day unexpectedly. For each additional
result, the time distortion explodes upward (hour → day → lunar month →
season → year → generation).</li><li><b>Dead road</b>. You have found
your way behind the trees, where the dead roads wind. A dry creek, a
corridor of fallen timber, a laid-down bed of shredded cedar, a
continuous chain of moonlight, a set of tracks suspiciously similar to
your own - appearances vary. One way leads into the daylight - following
it for a turn removes all levels of Lost and deposits the party at a
site (preferably undiscovered) within their updated hex location. The
opposite direction leads into darkness, to be harassed by hungry ghosts,
and eventually to Hemlock-All-around, first village of the dead.<br /></li></ol><div style="text-align: left;"> <br />
<hr color="#cdcdcd" size="2" width="95%" /> </div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>The House</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"> <br /><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgaBDzcyKz-PsMD-FFhDQBOXGOQKrxyVrlgUPRxR2xDNPPcVJbzVE1nYZUNqUiB87-ZmEbqJlFUbXDSElfACwV1BA4roSMivzHMadF8HOeWjVmORwPLTihaCCEemyiHSZRerKSZCRe4I8n9qGoDK0yklzEHjfeozBU55m9ZOFfFRXdP4SmMW9YHFD4msA"><img data-original-height="708" data-original-width="722" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgaBDzcyKz-PsMD-FFhDQBOXGOQKrxyVrlgUPRxR2xDNPPcVJbzVE1nYZUNqUiB87-ZmEbqJlFUbXDSElfACwV1BA4roSMivzHMadF8HOeWjVmORwPLTihaCCEemyiHSZRerKSZCRe4I8n9qGoDK0yklzEHjfeozBU55m9ZOFfFRXdP4SmMW9YHFD4msA=w400-h392" width="400" /></a></div></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jJb_eLYsmzo/Va8ykc6dGvI/AAAAAAAADHA/OAD9DVJ0RWM/s1600/c451f6ded22d337afd57949a333536b5.jpg"><img border="0" height="310" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jJb_eLYsmzo/Va8ykc6dGvI/AAAAAAAADHA/OAD9DVJ0RWM/w400-h310/c451f6ded22d337afd57949a333536b5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></div></div> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> <br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsJvMX8c46aXdbcDUNAaYQWxeULNzJtfvX5ZUtaDUoxcHt0rT81vntQoE-zFl786ae_yJexX0ct_D800bUWjsUzneU71BbrGWxBwLLYhwiNpPK1uhyUljWYcJRmUxw3cbzyoJUMTxh5CY4t6L4ahvALbIVPF7Tj34Wj-VE9xYhaCAuyOKlqyPLqYWiJw/s800/PS-des.gif"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsJvMX8c46aXdbcDUNAaYQWxeULNzJtfvX5ZUtaDUoxcHt0rT81vntQoE-zFl786ae_yJexX0ct_D800bUWjsUzneU71BbrGWxBwLLYhwiNpPK1uhyUljWYcJRmUxw3cbzyoJUMTxh5CY4t6L4ahvALbIVPF7Tj34Wj-VE9xYhaCAuyOKlqyPLqYWiJw/w400-h300/PS-des.gif" width="400" /></a></div> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgMdpzdtCI4ZfPa_4y7SOeqSOzr8iF8jf-Q0-pmdNO7HWkAyAViCvn6iF3PRmqoK03top4r8UWQT7u6sbaWBqrLtGPw5Gcz0k6lL3sROMIAgDiLIykg-Uz7r_JM0656zKxyVleDWJOr7riyVuQ3fGSBw6uIi1jgkP5rmw6SFXqPonU9wwxWTuhxgaVWew"><img data-original-height="340" data-original-width="501" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgMdpzdtCI4ZfPa_4y7SOeqSOzr8iF8jf-Q0-pmdNO7HWkAyAViCvn6iF3PRmqoK03top4r8UWQT7u6sbaWBqrLtGPw5Gcz0k6lL3sROMIAgDiLIykg-Uz7r_JM0656zKxyVleDWJOr7riyVuQ3fGSBw6uIi1jgkP5rmw6SFXqPonU9wwxWTuhxgaVWew=w400-h271" width="400" /></a></div>
</div></div> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGD9ydfi6Rui-wetX_KK-omBGrrIN7tJxT9ey3W-q2y3x_oS83LIW_xvrFipgXnYEmb54-2i7efdNvpZf49bX9SNbn9XIoeKdbz95bxRxI8bPAohlShTfwJO4wzFlXBc-MDAJ2xXA4ak9mCot-ZnW4GR37KGkX_YDBVmA82c85iKFFW0iaHE6zGKAiUA/s960/dzunukw2.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="682" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGD9ydfi6Rui-wetX_KK-omBGrrIN7tJxT9ey3W-q2y3x_oS83LIW_xvrFipgXnYEmb54-2i7efdNvpZf49bX9SNbn9XIoeKdbz95bxRxI8bPAohlShTfwJO4wzFlXBc-MDAJ2xXA4ak9mCot-ZnW4GR37KGkX_YDBVmA82c85iKFFW0iaHE6zGKAiUA/w284-h400/dzunukw2.jpg" width="284" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> <br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8YbjdXY3eqC8sjstJNdWZCm5GDDFQk7f2Lmms3tiGdDbpxTUgx77K4eWqTp4lcjQDbVhw3wlFgZ168qIfWoy0SunGYpYjunlTlIYfCXKj9OxZDl650YfixB8K9Jg3jCo-7ybQxFoTglGg2Zx5scgChA0HaDCMoFgx6fij8rcI-j_7hLlwOem15RYkug/s498/the-green-knight-green-knight.gif"><img border="0" data-original-height="273" data-original-width="498" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8YbjdXY3eqC8sjstJNdWZCm5GDDFQk7f2Lmms3tiGdDbpxTUgx77K4eWqTp4lcjQDbVhw3wlFgZ168qIfWoy0SunGYpYjunlTlIYfCXKj9OxZDl650YfixB8K9Jg3jCo-7ybQxFoTglGg2Zx5scgChA0HaDCMoFgx6fij8rcI-j_7hLlwOem15RYkug/w400-h219/the-green-knight-green-knight.gif" width="400" /></a></div></div> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> <br /><hr color="#cdcdcd" size="2" width="95%" /><br /><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: start;">
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj_KPB52owbXhRCuVl0p5ux2g8jYC-zGzhaE8DONUHRFYdG04svDkp7qSfz_usGp_CJRAEeNyifGCjQb30TXfTprbtP2usqxv0S7o8o-IyONZmYCwoInPcp1DG35vPw1kWt2l-TsmAuUsxKPlbiSkQDaohcpAQZewAPLw46kc8jfbVA5bcE_WHGncnIKA" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="750" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj_KPB52owbXhRCuVl0p5ux2g8jYC-zGzhaE8DONUHRFYdG04svDkp7qSfz_usGp_CJRAEeNyifGCjQb30TXfTprbtP2usqxv0S7o8o-IyONZmYCwoInPcp1DG35vPw1kWt2l-TsmAuUsxKPlbiSkQDaohcpAQZewAPLw46kc8jfbVA5bcE_WHGncnIKA=w252-h400" width="252" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6ZO8VXUFCo" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Behold</a>! A King in his finery!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Gravetender's Society</b></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>I bide among the twisted pines,</i></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i> and none recall my name.</i></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>I have no friend or relative</i></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i> for all near me must perish.</i></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>Into the wilds I depart</i></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i> on roads kept by the dead.</i></div>
</div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="text-align: right;">
- Gravetender's lament</div>
</blockquote>
<div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">There
is a King without name, propped limbless on a hemlock throne untouched
by sunlight at the heart of the world. Fearsome and strange,
many-masked, with heart of pitch and brine, He is King of Ghosts and
Woodsmen, the Wilderer of Ways and Keeper of Drowned Souls. It is He who
confounds the hunter and mazes the amnesiac, dooming all to wander in
hunger and lack forever and ever.<br />
<br />His kingdom is one of confusion and loss, of calling forth by name,
of slowly fading memory, and of strangers wandering alone. He appears as
a rot-scarred cedar box carved with fishers afloat on the sea, an
injured and algae-soaked fox digging at an unmarked grave, a faceless
child playing a flute, or a disorganized pile of greening bones set on
an overgrown hemlock stump. He is heralded by the sound of a bone flute
whistling in the distance, and by uncanny fogbanks moving slowly and
deliberately through trees or over water.<br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Gravetenders
are known to appear suddenly and without warning, to converse with the
dead, and to enforce the taboos against touching dead bodies or
pronouncing dead names. In hidden sanctuaries near each village their
corpse-groves stand, hung with bodies and piled with offerings, scented
with incinerated foodstuffs brought forth to placate lost ancestors.
Most villages are willing to provision these encampments, but otherwise
studiously avoid acknowledging their existence.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjluD1UWmvgl_VyflVfH5gUTQ7JtqF1UDugmdxKM-Z_JbQnNmAMqys2j7PSyNXPm0qYmL0hctN4rTyTuM7E66Z1lTNCAJ_WXHlksC0NVOx-k8MMuBY2vatS5HLFYUdhTRRpicxTqZD7ShcvFYs3Sn_4412UtVQ22IKfNf7YkCiLoSwhUrE-rLaTb7qVfw/s1920/Northwest.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjluD1UWmvgl_VyflVfH5gUTQ7JtqF1UDugmdxKM-Z_JbQnNmAMqys2j7PSyNXPm0qYmL0hctN4rTyTuM7E66Z1lTNCAJ_WXHlksC0NVOx-k8MMuBY2vatS5HLFYUdhTRRpicxTqZD7ShcvFYs3Sn_4412UtVQ22IKfNf7YkCiLoSwhUrE-rLaTb7qVfw/w400-h225/Northwest.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My house has many rooms.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<b><u>Restrictions</u></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">The
Gravetender is ritually dead and nameless, and must remain so. They are
unmarried and not a member of any family, clan, or moiety. They own no
possessions, though few would attempt to take from them what they keep
on their person. A Gravetender may not recruit mortal retainers. Their
very name, along with all its deeds and properties, has been eaten by
the dead.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">A Gravetender that is called by their eaten name loses access to all society powers and has disadvantage to <i>all</i>
rolls and checks. They must immediately make new reaction rolls for all
ghosts in their presence (at disadvantage). All is restored when the
Gravetender next becomes Lost. (Note they will also have disadvantage on
the normal roll to <i>avoid </i>becoming Lost.)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">But
the name is not theirs, and its misuse calls out for recompense due its
new owners. The one that uttered this eaten name is thereafter treated
with hostility by all ghosts, which attack them on sight. They also have
disadvantage on saving throws against hostile magics and rolls to avoid
becoming lost, as the dead roads open to them. This lasts until the
Gravetender's powers are restored, or until they die truly. If the
offending individual is ever Lost to even a single level, all random
encounter will contain packs of hostile ghosts intent on devouring them.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFOhEyhYdKUmreUKV0MV_JGl7uj8_OfBhI_AQ08v0xL3Gr3vrxB9Pj_AFSxd9-P1ozt8qJwaiiYVCJWGVq5oNV1EP-TxFU-3U3mJ7YlJC0NuKOQGahRJEkM3dAT7Aa36ts8di-tl-qn1rJ7H55mKb9C9Y-KkKyIMJ-fZ_QI3TMsQ480qse2N63VaXiyw/s1280/chaos.gif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="1280" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFOhEyhYdKUmreUKV0MV_JGl7uj8_OfBhI_AQ08v0xL3Gr3vrxB9Pj_AFSxd9-P1ozt8qJwaiiYVCJWGVq5oNV1EP-TxFU-3U3mJ7YlJC0NuKOQGahRJEkM3dAT7Aa36ts8di-tl-qn1rJ7H55mKb9C9Y-KkKyIMJ-fZ_QI3TMsQ480qse2N63VaXiyw/w400-h169/chaos.gif" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I have prepared a place for you.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><b><u>Benefits</u></b>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Veteran</b> (level 1) Gravetenders gain several advantages while
Lost, a state they recognize instinctively: They do not age, do not
require food or water, and have advantage on all saving throws.
Encounter distance is always treated as the maximum roll.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: left;">Gravetenders
may also command ghosts and otters, just as a skilled tamanous man
might. Resolve this as a Turn Undead check. A commanded ghost or otter
may always lead the Gravetender's party out of being Lost in a single
turn.<b> </b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Heroes</b> (level 4) of the society can bind ghosts, and speak those bound into their presence.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">On a result of "D" on the Turn Undead table, the spirit in question is <i>eaten</i>.
The Gravetender takes their name, their shadow, and their memories. The
spirit occupies a retainer slot. Note that eating the spirit of one of
the honored dead makes one immediately hostile to all of their
relatives, unless explicitly retrieving their ghost in order to return
it to the family. Such ghosts are under no obligation of faith to the
Gravetender. The dishonored dead may be enslaved without repercussion.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">The
Gravetender may be called by the name of an eaten ghost without
mechanical consequence, though doing so is considered taboo by the
society, resulting in a disadvantage to Reaction. <br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">A
bound ghost may be manifested in the shadows over living water or the
smoke of a fire. Only other Gravetenders, blood relatives, and those
with the ability to detect magic or the invisible will see them.
(Skeleton Dancers will also, but they are reticent to admit this due to
the general animosity between the two societies.)</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">At this level a Gravetender also may choose to gain advantage or disadvantage on any roll to become Lost. <br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"></div></div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
<b>Superheroes</b> (level 8) of the society may speak bound ghosts into
corpses (as Weeping Ghost) or specially carved wooden simulacra (as
Rotting Ghost) and force them to do their bidding. The ghost is freed if
reduced to 0 hit points, but may otherwise be consumed again by the
Gravetender as normal.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">
As a <b>Group Ritual </b>a convocation of Gravetenders may bury a
petitioner's name, giving it to the dead that it may no longer be used
by the living. A buried name takes with it all its rights, privileges,
and accomplishments, but also all of its debts and curses. This service
requires gift of 1d6×250gp in foodstuffs and other offered gravegoods,
as well as access to a corpse grove, burial islet, cavern of the dry
ones, or similar collection of honored dead. These are feasted and
danced in imitation of the naming ritual, during which the name is
folded into their repast and burned. If this was the petitioner's final
remaining name, they must immediately
be initiated into the Gravetender's Society or become afflicted with a
rapid and deadly wasting. <br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
Though not widely known, the Gravetenders can also give the name of a <i>place</i>
to the dead. This location can no longer be found by normal means, and
instead becomes a Lost Encounter associated with the hex it was formerly
found in. The requirements are similar, involving a corpse parade to
the location in question and 1d6×2000gp in goods and ritual materials.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div>
<hr color="#cdcdcd" size="2" width="95%" />
<div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>The Lost<br /></b></span><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7qKe3NZv7ffbL_G_5bxLucIQe3qTcru14hBBX8yZPVVVk_z-eYM0KZCK8np7irTgNkZ-c5-cQ2zXCP9S8dr_3F97CPYkQfp6fctzc22BDBB4KWZRr8ORLtB6TcmLHFNa62l6mCzvD1wG7gNa1Hsu2DWbRs0wEpP_CK00wI2VKMnL_CqKBN_XB054iOg/s500/twist.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7qKe3NZv7ffbL_G_5bxLucIQe3qTcru14hBBX8yZPVVVk_z-eYM0KZCK8np7irTgNkZ-c5-cQ2zXCP9S8dr_3F97CPYkQfp6fctzc22BDBB4KWZRr8ORLtB6TcmLHFNa62l6mCzvD1wG7gNa1Hsu2DWbRs0wEpP_CK00wI2VKMnL_CqKBN_XB054iOg/w400-h300/twist.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"> <div style="text-align: left;"> <br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEick7ZQ6GYmTXGbxMj_iQrzzbjz2S9S82J0ad-mG-Ti_hyDVe2SM5T0VEta85BdE0WZJA92Zn1gMQk4wuJdwSeiFvpGTHThsWGYj_ZY5VbxLpnOG69LPv8vYtF6Yk3QBwJNTnzpkWgHS6BgXVd_6o2n2GWFFPRrT3fyip7Ib0zKAAPqjVqVBDe1P_W3Zw/s486/jedway-carved-burl.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="486" data-original-width="385" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEick7ZQ6GYmTXGbxMj_iQrzzbjz2S9S82J0ad-mG-Ti_hyDVe2SM5T0VEta85BdE0WZJA92Zn1gMQk4wuJdwSeiFvpGTHThsWGYj_ZY5VbxLpnOG69LPv8vYtF6Yk3QBwJNTnzpkWgHS6BgXVd_6o2n2GWFFPRrT3fyip7Ib0zKAAPqjVqVBDe1P_W3Zw/w316-h400/jedway-carved-burl.jpg" width="316" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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</div><span style="font-size: large;"><b><div style="text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqFlACKpOMTJFLgdoNwbaiUdECHc-7nZbsWPobuqMVHo4awka7junFoaXbGz5Ma9G5hL57DzvhWvV_eF76gkYQu_85CfnZPHFc7e9LHtr8fGzIqxvL6-v3KDo98y5uWR9KgYl8ywEF10Zd0-NQAstStgyl94MifrsPUdSdcWZqlElyFJaE6-skOGzjtQ/s813/caress2.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="813" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqFlACKpOMTJFLgdoNwbaiUdECHc-7nZbsWPobuqMVHo4awka7junFoaXbGz5Ma9G5hL57DzvhWvV_eF76gkYQu_85CfnZPHFc7e9LHtr8fGzIqxvL6-v3KDo98y5uWR9KgYl8ywEF10Zd0-NQAstStgyl94MifrsPUdSdcWZqlElyFJaE6-skOGzjtQ/w236-h320/caress2.jpg" width="236" /></a></div></b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Ghosts of the Straits</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">the Lost</span></i></span> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">Do not weep for the dead. Give them nothing but what is offered on the pyre, for they will take <i>everything</i>
from you. Your voice, your shadow, your power, the warmth of your skin,
even your life - every living thing about you. For if you are dead,
then you will join them in the deadlands, and all your ghostly relations
will rejoice. <br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">The dead are lonely; they miss their relatives. Spirits tend to linger
awhile on the mortal plane before departing to the afterlife. It is
during this time that they are most dangerous.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">It
is said that when you say a ghost's name, they immediately know your
location. If you cry for them, their way to the deadlands is marshy and
slow, increasing the likelihood they will turn back to haunt the
living. <br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Note:
Ghosts refuse to speak the trade jargon. It demeans them. To dialogue
with ghosts, one must know their native tongue or converse in a manner
entirely spiritual. <br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Stutter-Ghost</b> [<i>skayuɁ</i>] (HD 1, AC 15, MV 18). A
skeleton, floating just off the ground. Walks (does not run) at high
speed with queer, shimmering motion. Jaw clatters out rapid falsetto
“ku'kuku ku'kuku” repetition. Steals hair, save vs. confusion. When
broken, bones vibrate around and eventually reform, sticking like
magnets. Slain by magic. Some shoot nettle-arrows, which steal victim's
breath.</li><li><b>Weeping Ghost</b> [<i>dᶻaqayuɁ</i>] (HD 2, AC 12, MV
12). Crying corpse with ragged clothing, hair torn out in clumps
clutched
in clawed hands. Originally mortals who gave tears to the dead. Grapples
into embrace, then drips tears on target's flesh, save vs.
uncontrollable weeping. If afflicted falls asleep in this
condition, save or become undead.</li></ul><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhar7hItX0423g9aafJR7N4fY422h4VQyaV-8G-vz3uvOqZ1_LZ-imkkTp53FMWHbCJ0034oW3HIX5UXQj_GAjD_7wzJs_Ylkisf_FWu1QmhKWQZLh0vhn3zy3UmRuNmWHw-d0JHqumw-rm7BhugjY9nCHU7JzoJIk2uNske1jKHIdNu4HuEK-SZV2Xig/s500/4e84814ffb85bdc8e9650bafeaeb6501.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="370" data-original-width="500" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhar7hItX0423g9aafJR7N4fY422h4VQyaV-8G-vz3uvOqZ1_LZ-imkkTp53FMWHbCJ0034oW3HIX5UXQj_GAjD_7wzJs_Ylkisf_FWu1QmhKWQZLh0vhn3zy3UmRuNmWHw-d0JHqumw-rm7BhugjY9nCHU7JzoJIk2uNske1jKHIdNu4HuEK-SZV2Xig/w400-h296/4e84814ffb85bdc8e9650bafeaeb6501.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Rotting Ghost</b> [<i>p'q'acayuɁ</i>] (HD 1, AC 14, MV 9). Pathetic
corpses who carve sub-par wooden replacement parts to hide their rotting
flesh as bits of them drop away. Grasp steals warmth. Those without hands to
grasp instead club with over-sized, inarticulate wooden hands. <br /></li><li><b>Hungry Ghost</b> [<i>scəwəɫ</i>] (HD 2, AC 13, MV 9). Leftover
hunger of the dead wearing a withered black corpse. Eats anything
recognizably food. Relishes flesh of men and dogs. Tracks both easily.
Speaks only to deceive & lure into traps and artifices. Otherwise
silent except when leaping to attack, when throat emits a low groaning.
Dogs detect them easily, but check morale on sight.</li><li><b>Ashen Ghost</b> [<i>Ɂukʷ'as</i>] (HD 2, AC 12, MV 12). Pale, sickly,
smeared with ash. Stomach a patch of glowing embers, concealed with
tattered hides. Soul is a smoking flame in their belly. Drawn
to fires, perching nearby to suck up smoke and swallow coals. Violently
expel intruders that threaten flame. In combat skin blisters and
sizzles, vomit hot coals into hands to hurl at enemies. <br /></li><li><b>Headless Ghost</b> [<i>sx̌ʷəyalq</i>] (HD 3-6, AC 13, MV 9).
Headless bodies of men, bears, or ducks. Shine like they're vibrating.
Attempt to eat but cannot, smashing food into absent face, and grow
angry. Pause and rear as if to issue a great bellow, soundless, but all
present struck save vs. fear. This lingers, provoking new save at the
start of each combat for 24hr.</li></ul><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh53SJNk0pSJ1WHgT8UW8r1Hf2ERVq58bGWm5nbIYSTZDVyZUkVG5qXgZo32frL6OeoWeB9TV1maQrfaRtm7xK24L2PsOw2hDsIw4hL7p4kwvaPT3fDW4lknKEn8wBRhRSU-O99hYWiDXAz_EQM7VFzlBxEBBFCom3S_QxaiuNfnSJ22_om4BsuxUcv9A/s500/41.gif"><img border="0" data-original-height="281" data-original-width="500" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh53SJNk0pSJ1WHgT8UW8r1Hf2ERVq58bGWm5nbIYSTZDVyZUkVG5qXgZo32frL6OeoWeB9TV1maQrfaRtm7xK24L2PsOw2hDsIw4hL7p4kwvaPT3fDW4lknKEn8wBRhRSU-O99hYWiDXAz_EQM7VFzlBxEBBFCom3S_QxaiuNfnSJ22_om4BsuxUcv9A/w400-h225/41.gif" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Red-eyed Shadow</b> [<i>c'alminəlus</i>] (HD 3, AC 12, MV 9/12f).
Shades who hide from death behind the souls of trees. Only perceived as
diminishment of visual acuity. Attempting direct attack causes
migraines and visual anomalies of undulating color that blur and
stretch. Must be attacked peripherally, but if possible they dance into
direct view. Bones are hidden up in a tree somewhere nearby – shade
reforms if not destroyed.</li><li><b>Dawn Shadow</b> [<i>xʷiyəlan</i>] (HD 6-9, AC 12, MV 6f).
Memories of life before light touched the world, shapes from ancient
epochs half-remembered in acrid black smoke, eyes shining. Immune to
mundane weapons but dispersed by wind. Presence chokes the air; each
round in melee save vs. coughing. Appear in mornings, before the sun
hits direct, at the beginnings of things.<br /></li></ul><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div>
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<div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-rThe8M4n5IuwULrX7K5FxUfTcXUoke2z0nfIxNcZY70S-INGf3CzMkidRpO0mcyUlpaEhuW2Do4JJ2jDdzHLj5eowIRS6TSmABYfw-LFuFTj8rWuN6VA8vV-Qa2s3ulxJ9oNMaeeVKDFYQfS4vaEZXd1MUyghU8ze3Gnh_KNFeLJsHXwAzJQSyABww/s566/Shaman2.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="566" data-original-width="340" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-rThe8M4n5IuwULrX7K5FxUfTcXUoke2z0nfIxNcZY70S-INGf3CzMkidRpO0mcyUlpaEhuW2Do4JJ2jDdzHLj5eowIRS6TSmABYfw-LFuFTj8rWuN6VA8vV-Qa2s3ulxJ9oNMaeeVKDFYQfS4vaEZXd1MUyghU8ze3Gnh_KNFeLJsHXwAzJQSyABww/s320/Shaman2.jpg" width="192" /></a></div><div style="text-align: right;"></div>Forest Dwarfs</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">the Old People, Spirits of Pebble and Twig</span></i></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">The
Old People still exist in the world, though most remain hidden. In the
deepest stretches of the elder wood, in overgrown marshes, gullies, and
creeks. They clamber amongst the underbrush, or drop from above.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Most
fear them, regardless of whether they have done aught to provoke their
ire, and few are those brave or mad enough to approach them as they
gather to dance in their hidden groves.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Dwarfs
are highly sought by sorcerers as familiar spirits. The dwarfs of yore
made mighty spells, it is claimed. Some say they danced the first
forests into being, that they know the songs that made the trees grow
tall.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">But
the true value of dwarfish familiars is their connection to the lost
and the dead. They know the dead roads and can lead mortals to the
deadlands. Though ghosts have similar ability, and in fact are easier to
placate, they are also given to madness, leaving dwarfs the most
reliable source for this essential power.</div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Little Forest</b> [<i>swəw'tixʷtən</i>]
(HD 2, AC 4, MV 9/12f). 2' dwarf made of forest debris. Walks on
treetops, leaping branch to branch. Speaks in a watery gurgle, save vs.
confusion. Can dance your soul out of your body. Each is bound to an
idol depicting a stylized man of their size,
usually hidden in some dark and secret grove. May range from idol, but
usually do not wander far, as possession of
it grants power over them.</li><li><b>Tree Striker</b> [<i>šəčəčičələɁ</i>]
(HD 4, AC 15, MV 9/12f). Horribly misshapen, 2' dwarf made of forest
debris. Walks on treetops, leaping branch to branch. Idol
long-shattered, what remains is a cane that fells fully grown trees with
strike, ranged 2d6 in a line. Cane may be used by men, but in mortal
hands explodes violently on an attack roll of 1. Strike easily opens
doors and
chests.</li><li><b>Lost Child</b> [<i>makʷamš</i>] (HD 1, AC 13, MV
15). Corpse-thin, gangle children, dressed all in leaves with fancifully
carved masks. Skinny limbs flutter in frantic caper, leaping and
cackling. Leaps away when missed, usually high into trees. Play
woodwinds. Knows a song to remove all sense of direction, making Lost.
Knows a song to calm the dead.</li></ul><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbb543UE79kvfy9qoul_1YeEYPrtlOuk7ITm2mWqPTelmSKxqjVfxZJsh1yF0h1Hborncuxd6IL6402cqOzQGcm8i60HWLNxsqbUblDqvzTys8FLkWMak9yWb8p8_2qrP-8c6BveIhOyXIUoQDX6WwNZ2ijhZwXVKitxLNafuwq2gAIcYIyVy3sbPcog/s2048/old-man-gloom-band-4-2012.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbb543UE79kvfy9qoul_1YeEYPrtlOuk7ITm2mWqPTelmSKxqjVfxZJsh1yF0h1Hborncuxd6IL6402cqOzQGcm8i60HWLNxsqbUblDqvzTys8FLkWMak9yWb8p8_2qrP-8c6BveIhOyXIUoQDX6WwNZ2ijhZwXVKitxLNafuwq2gAIcYIyVy3sbPcog/w400-h266/old-man-gloom-band-4-2012.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Lost Ancient</b> [<i>Ɂiɫluƛ</i>]
(HD 3, AC 13, MV 15). Older than human: pale green and goblinish,
hook-nosed, wolf-eared, round inhuman eyes glowing red in deep sockets.
Teleports away when missed. Does not play flute; just speaks that way.
Presence saps warmth from things, invoking supernatural cold. Knows a
magic sound to make trees explode in frost, 2d6 damage in an area.<br /></li><li><b>Earthquake Dwarf</b> [<i>gʷingʷinaɁmi</i><i><i>xʷ</i></i>]
(HD 1, AC 17, MV 6). Entice people beneath mountains to dance with
"earthquake feet". Flesh hard as stone, attacks with crushing strikes.
Jealous of all soft things owned by men. Knows a drumbeat that compels
men to dance. Knows a dance to cause an avalanche. Explodes in a shower
of stone when slain, d6 in 30'. Rumors tell of "obsidian dwarfs" that
deal slashing, explode more violently.<br /></li><li><b>Aurora Dwarf</b> [<i>qʷiqʷəstay'mixʷ</i>]
(HD 1, AC 12, MV 9/9s). Super-strong, 3½' dwarfs living on iceflows.
Dive in freezing water to catch whales and seals by hand and scoop
dentalia from sea floor. Their blubber-fires built on ice create the
aurora, which they dance into enemies' eyes to confuse and mislead (as <i>color spray</i>). Immune to knives and arrows, but damaged by prick from feathers of waterfowl. </li></ul><div style="text-align: left;"><p style="text-align: left;"></p></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><hr color="#cdcdcd" size="2" width="95%" />
<div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: right;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pJ6i0UfwXr4/XVruGagdH3I/AAAAAAAAED0/xb4Uia3llysFF-5vC38xdDMLfJmpW0MrQCLcBGAs/s1600/PennMaskOnder.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="551" data-original-width="410" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pJ6i0UfwXr4/XVruGagdH3I/AAAAAAAAED0/xb4Uia3llysFF-5vC38xdDMLfJmpW0MrQCLcBGAs/w238-h320/PennMaskOnder.jpg" width="238" /></a></div></div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Real Otters<br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Enhydra lutris, </span></i></span>Lontra canadensis</span></i></span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Never trust an otter.</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">This
is important. Stay focused. Try to hold it in your mind. Even at point
of death, when freezing or drowning alone,
keep your guard. When they arrive in their boats with hairy arms
outstretched, torsos and
heads bobbing disproportionate long, do not accept their assistance.
They do not want you to find your way home. They do not want you to
survive this encounter. They are abductors. They want you to freeze and
starve and become like them.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">If you forget or lose faith, they will take you to the
land of the otters. And then there is nothing left for you but a life of beastly
stalking. You will spend the rest of your days eating fish raw and luring men to their doom.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Trust
dogs. The bark of a dog can dispel an otter's false voice. The bones of
a dog, sharpened to knife-edge, can cut away an otter's false skin. The dog is man's oldest ally in the wild.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Remember:
do not trust otters. Don't forget. Stay focused. Remember. <br /></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Sea Otter </b>[<i>sq'aƛ'</i>]
(HD 1 - 6, AC 13, MV 12/18s). The sea pulls at the skins of otters,
which they can use to command waves with a gesture. If a canoe contains
otterskin or a man wears it, they may be grappled by waves. Otters of
sufficient size use these powers to capsize canoes and drown their
occupants. Those with HD greater than 1 are rare, but sightings
exist. Each HD accompanies a commensurate increase in size, and
disproportionate lengthening of the neck.<br /></li><li><b>Rain God </b>[<i>qəlmax̌aɁ</i>]
(HD 8, AC 15, MV 9/24s). An otter deity, huge and long-necked. Controls rain and raises
water levels. Renders gunpowder wet and unusable. In human form, a giant,
nude but for copious copper jewelry.</li></ul><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnEa_xPtoUoDT7ZVokNMb9eKqRhW2qnomPrMyyMVR0_9SmYUIFV5zwtcBFgCvwbclGIYw9LhlsVi_43sTUl6eXYFc3XHMUX5rwnXEPGgVJujatKO7vJnm3GOLlwdpkdT6JBnWED3xinmJdKqVUaG2t-9JD9aziO7LyD_8v-xI3qdINooIc5VPWpHZ6mw/s2592/otter.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="1707" data-original-width="2592" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnEa_xPtoUoDT7ZVokNMb9eKqRhW2qnomPrMyyMVR0_9SmYUIFV5zwtcBFgCvwbclGIYw9LhlsVi_43sTUl6eXYFc3XHMUX5rwnXEPGgVJujatKO7vJnm3GOLlwdpkdT6JBnWED3xinmJdKqVUaG2t-9JD9aziO7LyD_8v-xI3qdINooIc5VPWpHZ6mw/w400-h264/otter.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Land Otter </b>[<i>kuštakaɁ</i>]
(HD 5, AC 13, MV 9/15s). Skinchangers that shift from otter to man.
Always appears a friend or relative. Eyes black and teeth sharp and
otterish. Dog bark reveals true form. Tongues command canoes to capsize,
land to slide from position, and men to fall drowsy and numb. Offer
food and aid to the lost and the drowning; accepting any provokes soul
loss. On death, become a new kuštakaɁ. Flesh twists away from normal
weapons, but dog bones cut them. Value crab shells as money, used to construct drums and rattles.</li><li><b>Half-Otter </b>[<i>qaqix̌in</i>] (HD 3, AC 13,
MV 9/9s). The half-drowned, starved and thin with oversized head and
belly, long torso, greening skin, watery blue eyes. Overlarge lips
pierced by urchin quills caked with dried blood, teeth chipped and
missing from crunching inedible seaside life. Shadow causes save vs.
confusion. They want to be led home, but always describe a place beyond
the sea. The uncooperative are raked by pale claws. Too determined to be
fully slain by violence, they must be reminded they are dead, with mirrors,
with human food, or with the usage of their name by relatives. In
daylight, they disrobe and burrow in sand.<br /></li></ul><p></p><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b> </b></div><br />
<hr color="#cdcdcd" size="2" width="95%" />
<div style="text-align: left;"> <br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><b><div style="text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc53yeVJmslthqjLnR4_zx2aORzEObbh7ue5BfYgxIcbHsjyq53mVao4LNehdqFE2N-Mw1IV1Lzs7BqKDgjo0klNHGflMwn18rHWLWZrQMeVmAyjLcwATq6sCYw8LAPDfuabTcHgR8z82vXUMFVj_s568vq9hIjysjouGkDFDqrZ7jPC8RMrfj4_3YEQ/s750/be-wary-of-fauns-photo-u1.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="562" data-original-width="750" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc53yeVJmslthqjLnR4_zx2aORzEObbh7ue5BfYgxIcbHsjyq53mVao4LNehdqFE2N-Mw1IV1Lzs7BqKDgjo0klNHGflMwn18rHWLWZrQMeVmAyjLcwATq6sCYw8LAPDfuabTcHgR8z82vXUMFVj_s568vq9hIjysjouGkDFDqrZ7jPC8RMrfj4_3YEQ/s320/be-wary-of-fauns-photo-u1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></b></span>The Slim People</b></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">Owl-men</span></span>, Wood Ghosts, Elfs</i><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Heed not the whistling in the wood. Never traverse the
mountain passes alone. Be wary of owls, who act as their eyes and tongues.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> <br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Hunters
of men, inimical to civilization, the Slim People lurk in deepest
forest and
highest mountain vale, in the furthest reaches upriver. What relation
they have to the inland pit-dwellers we cannot say, for the pit-people
disavow any knowledge of them despite haunting the very same reaches.<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: left;">None
have reported seeing Slim People in the daylight; perhaps they only
exist at night.</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: left;">A
captured adult is sure to be devoured, but children, if they do not
resist overmuch, may survive by becoming Slim themselves.
Occasionally little bundles of twigs in vaguely manlike shapes are found
where the Slim People have been. It is believed that this is all lost
children can do to communicate to their relatives that they are still
living.</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: left;"></div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip_t9Pg-Twu9Bm0u4MGNQajXQ_vnq-Upo_9Ehar1MNOZypHnC-E9YSJZAiPv4IN6ejiXZ0h8AcQaul4Nz9dtwfzhcyzBELsVpz7SIgU4ISg22C1dpntXcfDtJ3Ns-HuUgluh0nKpgiEAn15_O_R8VA6Xpykagg-4fz6DGL2ldF44Tpttzw8nN2dQeqVA/s843/blair-witch-stick-figures.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="422" data-original-width="843" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip_t9Pg-Twu9Bm0u4MGNQajXQ_vnq-Upo_9Ehar1MNOZypHnC-E9YSJZAiPv4IN6ejiXZ0h8AcQaul4Nz9dtwfzhcyzBELsVpz7SIgU4ISg22C1dpntXcfDtJ3Ns-HuUgluh0nKpgiEAn15_O_R8VA6Xpykagg-4fz6DGL2ldF44Tpttzw8nN2dQeqVA/w400-h200/blair-witch-stick-figures.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Stick Man</b> [<i>stitaɫ</i>]
(HD 3, AC 14, MV 15). Impossibly tall and thin naked humanoids with
knobbly brown skin and hollow eyes. Lie motionless on piles of fallen
timber, nigh-invisible. Mouths emit only birdsong or child's laughter,
which compels listener to wander into the woods. Otherwise completely
silent.</li><li><b>Spear Spirit</b> [<i>tayutan</i>] (HD 6, AC 14, MV
18/12c). Stick Man war spirit. Longer of limb, not bulkier. All its
extremities are cruel spikes & splinters. Drops on foes from above to
attack. Climbs rapidly, out of sight. Near-invisible when motionless in
the branches.<br /></li><li><b>Spotted Owl</b> [<i>skʷəqʷumš</i>] (HD ½,
AC 14, MV 24f). Those slain by fright, screaming too
loud for too long (or more commonly, infants smothered in their cribs),
lose their living voice and return as owls. May speak to the dead, call
to the
dying across great distance, and foretell the future. Steal the breath
of those who speak living language in their presence (save vs. shortness
of breath), used to advantage by Stick Men.<br /></li><li><b>Horned Owl</b> [<i>təkʷəkʷəlus</i>]
(HD ½, AC 14, MV 24f). Horned owls collect teeth and bones. They seem
to trade trinkets for these, but prefer to steal them. An owl who
collects the teeth or fingerbones of a dead shaman and holds them in the
mouth gains all the knowledge and power they possessed. These serve as
great sorcerers among the Stick Men. They are the only among their
entourage known to speak.<br /></li></ul><div style="text-align: left;"><p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;"></p></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiisri_BGwu55rjrR9bN9lRVh9SVNarPo1D6wG2b3gTVLYOAuPnIqTcrsT0rtucHHXuy7W2yEdA77ZTYeIoMC-mGyrnIsc7-hKCLCTCGALIm2_sct-9vAOZDdIIw6qbriYoqJlZQBTa3bLKq0gP7EyFxOf48tic-G6DcUZlx-PRbhv_96cq9StT9NJaCg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img data-original-height="719" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiisri_BGwu55rjrR9bN9lRVh9SVNarPo1D6wG2b3gTVLYOAuPnIqTcrsT0rtucHHXuy7W2yEdA77ZTYeIoMC-mGyrnIsc7-hKCLCTCGALIm2_sct-9vAOZDdIIw6qbriYoqJlZQBTa3bLKq0gP7EyFxOf48tic-G6DcUZlx-PRbhv_96cq9StT9NJaCg=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>DON'T LOOK AT <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otrvyEjKGBU&t=41s" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">ME</a>!</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4684706459804289214.post-9205014778922932032014-10-20T12:54:00.001-07:002021-04-22T10:18:48.233-07:00We are eaten forever<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9zcCFwT1z2g/VAt9LJsansI/AAAAAAAABvE/1GnWpBQ7wBc/s1600/Bella_Coola_Indians_-_Native_North_America_med.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="260" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9zcCFwT1z2g/VAt9LJsansI/AAAAAAAABvE/1GnWpBQ7wBc/s1600/Bella_Coola_Indians_-_Native_North_America_med.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A cannibal spirit approaches.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>A stranger came to visit our ancestors then, to a house of four brothers. They didn't know who he was. He wasn't related to anybody! When he came inside, the eldest's baby began to cry, and none knew how to calm her.</i></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>The stranger offered help, but as he bent to the child's ear, he sucked out her brain! He tossed her back limp! "<b>She has stopped crying now.</b>" The brothers got weapons, but that stranger had dangerous power. Only the youngest escaped.</i></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>This brother was smart; he fled to the lake. He ran to set a trap! He knew demons can't tell reality from reflection. As the stranger leapt at his shadow, the brother sang his power: He called to North Wind. The stranger was frozen in the lake!</i></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>The brother started right away; he built a fire over the stranger's head. "<b>I will not die. I will eat you forever.</b>" That stranger got burned up, but he didn't die. His ashes turned to mosquitoes; that's how they got started. The mosquitoes want to become a man again, but usually they can't.</i><br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
- X̌uluš etiology</div>
</blockquote>
<br />
Devouring spirits harass the villages of the Straits with worrying frequency, winging down on strange winds to warp the lusts of men and indulge in vile feastings. Untamed anthropophagous urges creep in from all directions, lurking in deepest ocean, darkest forest, and furthest sky. Many of these retain ancestral forms, all flexing talon and aching obsidian jaw, though others wear the skins of men by nature or by theft. All are ravenous.<br />
<br />
It is dangerous to be eaten, for spirits can consume more than flesh. Your culture, your language, your songs - all may be devoured. There is so much to eat that whatever is leftover might not be you; often the flesh remains where the spirit does not. It is as if man-eaters aimed to consume not merely the bodies of men but the very <i>idea </i>of men and the possibility of their civilization.<br />
<br />
The spiritual ills engendered by these attacks are termed "soul loss". Sorcerers, herb-doctors, and tamanous men can cure this malady by retrieving pieces of the devoured with familiars or in ghost canoes, but payment is expensive, and a debt owed to a doctor is itself a dangerous thing. Local values suggest a more pragmatic alternative: One accepts the presence of hazardous spirits and, when possible, bargains with them for power.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6dS-Fg7ZDg4/VDxAnoWqf_I/AAAAAAAACLA/3zBqR7ekV5c/s1600/ravenous-1999.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="165" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6dS-Fg7ZDg4/VDxAnoWqf_I/AAAAAAAACLA/3zBqR7ekV5c/s1600/ravenous-1999.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hidden in familiar skins. <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0129332/" rel="nofollow">Source</a>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Rules Substitutions</b></span><br />
<b><u>Soul Loss</u>:</b> Similar to the "life energy drain" of other milieus, soul loss represents significant spiritual damage inflicted by enemies wherein the soul or a part thereof is stolen or driven away by hostile spirits. This has a variety of possible effects, none of which are immediately fatal, though the condition has deep associations with suicide among the Straitsmen.<br />
<br />
In each instance where a character would normally lose a level due to "energy drain", the referee may instead roll a d6 on the table below to determine what was stolen:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<ol>
<li><b>Language</b>. Character can no longer speak language, nor can they read or write. They may still moan & holler unintelligibly if desired.</li>
<li><b>Civilization</b>. Character can no longer use tools or weapons and must perform all actions directly, with the body.</li>
<li><b>Skill</b>. Character's effective level is reduced to 1 for the purposes of calculating the potency of all abilities, and they lose access to any bonuses derived from background or assumed proficiency.</li>
<li><b>Passion</b>. Character becomes depressed and lethargic, unable to perform any significant actions in campaign downtime between sessions. During sessions, any action that takes a turn (10 minutes) or longer of continuous concentration to perform requires a Wisdom check to complete.</li>
<li><b>Humanity</b>. Character becomes perceptibly but indescribably inhuman, reducing their effective Charisma score to 3. Animals growl or otherwise act hostile in their presence, and hirelings will not follow them. Even old friends must save or make new reaction rolls with the altered modifier.</li>
<li><b>Spirit Ally</b>. An attendant spirit was stolen from the character. Sorcerous familiars, intelligences residing in weapons or other items, guardian spirits, and relationships or connections with divine or mystical patrons are all at risk.</li>
</ol>
</blockquote>
Any result for which there is nothing left to steal must be rerolled. When there are no eligible results of types 1-5 remaining, the character is no more. Though the body may live, there is no spirit left to salvage, and death will surely follow shortly thereafter. That is, unless another will moves in to take the soul's place...<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AG75sO7s6x4/VC5ileP2cpI/AAAAAAAACHw/Jg2M3PBr-wI/s1600/crow-prey.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AG75sO7s6x4/VC5ileP2cpI/AAAAAAAACHw/Jg2M3PBr-wI/s1600/crow-prey.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Acting out familiar urges.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b><u></u></b>
<u><b>Possession & Ego</b></u><b>:</b> Similar to rules concerning the Intelligence & Egoism of magical swords in other milieus, possession occurs when a spirit engages in a direct conflict of wills with a character in order to influence their actions. To resolve this the character in question may roll 2d6, applying the following modifiers:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
• All characters apply their Wisdom modifier (±1) if any.<br />
• Heroes gain a +2 bonus vs. intelligent weapons; Superheroes gain +4.<br />
• Magic-Users gain similar bonuses vs. familiar spirits.<br />
• All characters suffering from Soul Loss of types 1-5 take a -2 penalty for each.</blockquote>
The result is compared against the spirit's Ego score (rated 2-12) to determine whose will prevails, as follows:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>Roll > Ego</b>: Character is dominant.<br />
<b>Roll = Ego</b>: Struggle and inaction as neither party dominates.<br />
<b>Roll < Ego</b>: Possessor is dominant.</blockquote>
Uncontested control may be maintained for a number of turns equal to the degree of success or failure. Each spirit will have its own guidelines for the conditions under which these conflicts arise and what Ego score should be checked against, but broadly speaking:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
• <b>Intelligent weapons</b> have an Ego score of 6 plus any "to hit" bonus (0-3) they provide plus the number of Extraordinary Abilities they possess (0-3). They seek to slay certain enemies or perform certain deeds and fight wielders who ignore opportunities to fulfill these goals.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
• <b>Familiar spirits</b> have an Ego score of 6 plus their spell level equivalent (0-6). Some have desires they seek to fulfill; more have taboos they resist violating. In either case, once bound they only assert themselves when called upon.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
• <b>Possessing ghosts</b> have wildly variable Ego scores based upon their degree of power and coercion. They have clear actions they seek to perform and attempt to force victims towards these should they resist.</blockquote>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Warrior Societies</b></span><br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5yOGmSwy9cA/VDBXNdRyJYI/AAAAAAAACKY/OLOuKPQpNR8/s1600/Swift%2BRunner%2Bedit.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5yOGmSwy9cA/VDBXNdRyJYI/AAAAAAAACKY/OLOuKPQpNR8/s1600/Swift%2BRunner%2Bedit.jpg" width="248" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She <a href="http://murderpedia.org/male.R/r/runner-swift.htm" rel="nofollow">squalls</a> unseen.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Dance of the Cannibal Wind</b></span>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>Down from the dark fly hungry ghosts</i></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>We always eat our fill</i></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>The wind cries out at our approach</i></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>There is no time to flee</i></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>With corpse-dust choking every throat</i></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>We vomit all but flesh</i></div>
</div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="text-align: right;">
- Song of the Cannibal Wind</div>
</blockquote>
<br />
Though long ago slain, the cannibal giantess Cišxʷəbətl persists in haunting the Straits into the present day, blowing the memory of her hunger down men's throats until each is reduced to little more than another of her ravening mouths. Her ghost, fully named The Wind that Bites from the Dark at the Source of the World (often shortened to The Wind that Bites from the Dark or simply the Cannibal Wind<a href="http://worldofalshain.blogspot.com/2012/03/unwelcome-guests.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">*</a>), can never be truly sated; those haunted by it are cursed to feel pangs of ghoulish hunger long into their afterlives.<br />
<br />
All those possessed by unwholesome desires or inexorable spirits are forced into the dance's ranks; few aspire to the burden. There the Cannibal Wind is blown through them, taming the wild forces with strange winds and consuming all else with her <b>hunger</b>. To each she whispers, <i>"There is neither obligation nor sin in this world. Kill your relatives and eat of their flesh. Become free." </i>The real trial then begins: Initiates either learn to control this brutal impulse, in the process gaining both respect and fear, or they are devoured by their fellows.<br />
<br /></div>
</div>
The Wind that Bites from the Dark and the dance that binds her (long inseparable) govern the North wind, carrion birds, social repression, and humanity's struggle against barbarism. Though her presence is normally felt invisibly, when manifest the Cannibal Wind may appear as a shadowed giantess whose body is covered in gnashing mouths, a lurching long-legged bear scarred by flame, or a cloud of black smoke hovering over a dim, dying fire. Her approach is preceded by a great whistling howl that warps the flesh of birds and drives them to violence, and the trees bend down at her passing.<br />
<br />
Members of the dance are known for a severe and forbidding composure that is occasionally shattered by frantic, frightening displays in which they civilize the mad, summon freezing winds, or devour corpses in revolting spectacles. They are not trifled with, for it is said they can gnaw at your soul until you are dead or so chewed up that you must become one of them.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9N_2FRVgJX4/VAoztaA3WSI/AAAAAAAABuE/i0r4WmIVXzg/s1600/88923874-12f8-4b27-a284-57f0267497f7-A26386.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="277" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9N_2FRVgJX4/VAoztaA3WSI/AAAAAAAABuE/i0r4WmIVXzg/s1600/88923874-12f8-4b27-a284-57f0267497f7-A26386.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Masked cannibals await their feasting.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><u></u></b><br />
<b><u></u></b>
<b><u>Restrictions</u></b><br />
Cannibal dancers have no requirements for the use or maintenance of their powers. Their curse is permanent; the spirit it brings is with them at all times.<br />
<br />
Certain actions require that the dancer make an Ego check in order to act freely without the imposition of the Cannibal Wind, which always seeks a return to purest savagery. The Cannibal Wind possesses with an Ego score of 10.<br />
<br />
Cannibal spirits are distressed by fire. When attempting to use any of their abilities while within view of a flame larger than a small cookfire, dancers must make an Ego check or be overcome by the need to either flee or extinguish it with their power (whether beating it out barehanded in a cannibal frenzy or summoning a freezing wind to blow it out).<br />
<br />
If a cannibal dancer goes longer than 1 week without consuming human flesh, the Cannibal Wind will overtake their body and force them to foul murder. In this state they must make an Ego check whenever given sufficient opportunity to kill and eat a human. In some villages (2 in 6, modified by Charisma), regular displays of cannibal ferocity in which small bites are taken from audience members may be staged to forestall this, though 1d6×10gp in goods gifted to the families of victims is expected if the dancer is to remain in the community's good graces.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j3RsbhDRwlY/VC5wuYsmoVI/AAAAAAAACII/cyTt5diHju4/s1600/Rookwithadeformedbilla.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="264" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j3RsbhDRwlY/VC5wuYsmoVI/AAAAAAAACII/cyTt5diHju4/s1600/Rookwithadeformedbilla.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> In her wake all ways warp <a href="http://alaska.usgs.gov/science/biology/landbirds/beak_deformity/description.html" rel="nofollow">crooked</a>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<u><b><br /></b></u>
<u><b>Benefits</b></u><br />
<b>Veterans</b> (level 1) of the dance may imitate any voice known (5 in 6 chance) so long as the listener has not determined the speaker's identity or seen their face. This is a magical effect; ineligible targets hear the words in the dancer's normal voice.<br />
<br />
Dancers may also call on the Cannibal Wind to incite them to cannibal frenzy. In the first round of frenzy the dancer will rip off all encumbering armor and discard all weapons. Each round beyond that they may choose only to pursue melee combat or devour a corpse. Attempting otherwise in either case requires an Ego check.<br />
<br />
In this state the dancer's form distorts fearsome and terrible. Eyes bulge empty and senseless. Muscles pull and tense to such extremes that limbs distort into crooked shapes. Hands twist and crumple like perverse claws. Lips peel back to reveal jaws poking prognathic while an obscene lolling tongue drips foam between clacking teeth. The dancer laughs hideously, cackling and snuffling as they scamper about with sudden, stuttered motions. All conscious thought is crowded out by the roar of ancient winds and a persistent hummingbird buzz.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7_IyOxpwq7k/VC8DxpxlJeI/AAAAAAAACI0/I7iGpicvKfY/s1600/PSM_V53_D178_Tattooed_haida_of_masset.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7_IyOxpwq7k/VC8DxpxlJeI/AAAAAAAACI0/I7iGpicvKfY/s1600/PSM_V53_D178_Tattooed_haida_of_masset.jpg" width="236" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Island Jim" Snaw'nwalh - FM 8, Law, cannibal dancer.<br />
Chews spruce resin like a craving addict.<br />
Claims to have once "eaten the sun". Would eat you.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
For the duration the dancer gains the following benefits:<br />
<ul>
<li>+2 to attacks & similar bonus to feats of raw athleticism (Str, Con, & Dex checks);</li>
<li>unarmed attacks deal standard damage (1d6) in rips, tears, and bites at flesh;</li>
<li>+3 bonus to speed crawling on all fours;</li>
<li>half damage from flame & cold;</li>
<li>immunity to fear, charms, & compulsions;</li>
<li>+4 to saving throws vs. soul loss, against which a failed save merely ends the frenzy.</li>
</ul>
Ending the frenzy requires an Ego check, any degree of failure indicating the number of turns that the frenzy continues, though tricking the dancer into drinking seawater will also end it. Afterward, the dancer immediately begins vomiting uncontrollably, violently ejecting blood, bones, hair, and bits of torn clothing - but never flesh. This lasts for a turn.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
<b>Heroes</b> (level 4) of the dance bite deeper than flesh, ripping directly at an opponent's soul to tear out voice and devour mind. While within the throes of a cannibal frenzy, the dancer's unarmed attacks strike as magical weapons. Additionally, unarmed damage rolls of 6 rend the target's spirit, affecting humans and creatures of similar ability as by Soul Loss. Inhuman beasts instead have their HD reduced by 1 for the purposes of calculating all abilities (including "to hit" rolls and saving throws).<br />
<div>
<br />
Also at this level, dancers gain a +2 bonus to Ego checks against the Cannibal Wind.<br />
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<b>Superheroes</b> (level 8) of the dance may call forth powerful, freezing winds to devour their enemies. This deals 2d6 magical cold damage in a 40ft gust emanating from the dancer. If either damage die shows 6, all targets are affected by spiritual rending as above.<br />
<br />
On a damage roll of 2, the winds storm violently out of control in all directions and targets must make an immediate saving throw or be overtaken with temporary madness forcing them to consume their fellows for d6 turns.<br />
<br />
On a 12, the wind summoned has sentience, manifesting as a wild cannibal spirit. These are <i>not</i> friendly to the dancer. A d20 may be used to determine what sort of being arrives:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
1-3. <b>Łətiʔən</b> (Poison Hummingbird) appears.<br />
4-6. <b>Kəykəẃəqəs </b>(Corpses Crow) appears.<br />
7-9. <b>Huqʷhuqʷ</b> (Crane Cackle) appears.<br />
10-12. <b>Qəčanuł</b> (Crooked Beak) appears.<br />
13-15. A <b>Khusaxha</b> forms spontaneously from clouds of mosquitoes.<br />
16-20. All targets must save or be possessed by <b>Untamed Winds</b>.</blockquote>
Also at this level, the dancer's bonus to Ego checks against the Cannibal Wind increases to +4.<br />
<div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NAViuOicJKA/VDBkod9rhQI/AAAAAAAACKs/AaFpfVJoEug/s1600/african-open-billed-stork3.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="232" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NAViuOicJKA/VDBkod9rhQI/AAAAAAAACKs/AaFpfVJoEug/s1600/african-open-billed-stork3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Huqʷhuq</i><i>ʷ</i><i>! </i><a href="http://artascatharsis.bandcamp.com/album/huxwhukw" rel="nofollow"><i>Huqʷhuq</i><i>ʷ</i></a><i>!</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
As a <b>Group Ritual </b>the dance may civilize the mad, removing any possession or long term insanity and returning them to society. This is accomplished in a day-long ritual in which the target is driven through the forest, chased by cannibal dancers in fearsome avian masks. At the end of the ritual, the target must make an immediate saving throw, failure indicating that they've been infected by the Cannibal Wind. Those so cursed must immediately be initiated into the dance (losing any other spirit allies) or thereafter wander governed by Untamed Winds (see below). Hiring the dance for this service requires 1d6×100gp in gifts to the performers and a fresh human corpse.<br />
<br />
Observant onlookers may notice (1 in 6 chance, modified by Wisdom) one performer sneaking off with a writhing black presence sealed in a glass jar. This points out a secret version of the ritual for which the dance requires 1d6×500gp in gifts and the life of a slave. For this additional consideration the dancers will at the end of the ritual weave the extracted spirit into an arrow or club. The affected weapon will strike at +3 "to hit" & damage for one successful attack, which will have the additional effect of transferring the extracted spirit or madness to the victim.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Some Eaters of Men</b></span></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aBInK8mtz6o/VC9HVpCMMUI/AAAAAAAACJ0/ieawfeCu9og/s1600/D4545D8C1F848D10EAA86990EADC33A1_B1280_1280_873_1050.JPEG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aBInK8mtz6o/VC9HVpCMMUI/AAAAAAAACJ0/ieawfeCu9og/s1600/D4545D8C1F848D10EAA86990EADC33A1_B1280_1280_873_1050.JPEG" width="331" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://caitlinhackett.carbonmade.com/projects/3016488#33" rel="nofollow">Source</a>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Cannibal B</b><b>ird</b></span><br />
<b>Number Appearing:</b> 1<br />
<b>Armor Class: </b>Variable<br />
<b>Hit Dice: </b>Variable<br />
<b>Attack:</b> Variable<br />
<b>Special:</b> Variable<br />
<b>Move: </b>6, 36 fly<br />
<b>Morale: </b>9<br />
<b>Intelligence: </b>Superhuman<br />
<b>Alignment: </b>Chaos<br />
<b>Size: </b>Variable<br />
<br />
Four of these imperious beings, the most coherent pieces of the Cannibal Wind to coalesce from her corpse after its dispersal, are known. Each with obvious vanity claims to be a singular and unique entity, though there are reports of the same bird appearing in multiple places at once or successively at great distance.<br />
<br />
All Cannibal Birds inflict Soul Loss on a damage roll of 6 and may summon freezing winds as a Superhero of the Dance of the Cannibal Wind. Each may also vary its size, often appearing quite small, or take on human form. Occasionally they appear in disturbing intermediate states, as if they cannot quite recall what separates man from bird. Human forms always receive the bonuses of cannibal frenzy without any associated restriction on behavior or appearance. Each cannibal bird has been slain several times, though they always reappear. Nothing known can slay them permanently.<br />
<br />
Their names and shapes are:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<b><u>Ł</u><u>ə</u><u>tiʔən</u> </b>(Poison Hummingbird) the Skin-Stripper, who appears as:<br />
• a thick-beaked hummingbird the size of a large dog, its face smeared with gore, or<br />
• a small child crying and covered with what appears to be blood but is in fact a corrosive resin.<br />
<b>[HD 6, AC 4(15), Bite d6 plus save or d6 poison, 1-3 acid damage on touch.]</b><br />
<br />
<b><u>K</u><u>əyk</u><u>əẃ</u><u>ə</u><u>qəs</u> </b>(Corpses Crow) the Eye-Plucker, who appears as:<br />
• two wicked-looking crows nearly man-sized moving in oddly mirrored motions, or<br />
• a pair of twin youths, one boy and one girl, who finish each other's sentences and are both compulsive liars.<br />
<b>[HD 8, AC 5(14), Bite d6, two bodies acting independently with a single Hit Point pool.]</b><br />
<br />
<b><u>Huqʷhuqʷ</u> </b>(Crane Cackle) the Skull-Cracker, who appears as:<br />
• a monstrous crane, fully 12ft tall on its stilt legs, that thrusts its beak at foes from above seeking to split open skulls, or<br />
• an uncannily tall, long-fingered man of meticulous aspect & grim humor who may be plied with brains, which he finds delectable.<br />
<b>[HD 8, AC 5(14), Bite d6+4 reach 10ft.]</b><br />
<br />
<u></u>
<u></u><b><u>Q</u><u>əčanuł</u> </b>(Crooked Beak) the Flesh-Tearer, who appears as:<br />
• an ogre-sized bird of glittering iridescence with fancifully twisted beak, rigid forms writhing under its flesh as if it had all the wrong bones & each jockeying for a position of prominence, its uncanny bite twisting and snapping in all directions at once, or<br />
• a hunchbacked crone with snaggletoothed smile, feigning weakness despite terrible strength.<br />
<b>[HD 10, AC 3(16), Bite d6+2, attacks all targets in range each turn.]</b><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--LuULXogTmE/VC9IY6g5XLI/AAAAAAAACKA/WL8KW17H8N4/s1600/B99F668A1D322D1939CB0E923B4E881C_B1280_1280_1050_1007.JPEG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="381" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--LuULXogTmE/VC9IY6g5XLI/AAAAAAAACKA/WL8KW17H8N4/s1600/B99F668A1D322D1939CB0E923B4E881C_B1280_1280_1050_1007.JPEG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://caitlinhackett.carbonmade.com/projects/3016488#35" rel="nofollow">Source</a>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Cannibal Birds are most commonly seen at sites of great carnage feasting on corpses, though they may also appear anywhere in the deep wilds pursuing enigmatic ends. Though not always hostile, they are extremely capricious, and unless other interests prevail reactions should be checked anew each turn of interaction. Encounters almost inevitably end with their hunger awakened, but clever mortals occasionally escape unharmed if they figure out what game the bird is at fast enough to play along.<br />
<br />
If a Cannibal Bird is fated to appear and quick motivation is needed, a d20 may be thrown to determine what exactly the creature thinks it's up to:<br />
<ol>
<li><b>Hunting humans to eat</b>. It will likely attack.</li>
<li><b>Feasting on corpses</b>. If the party was looking for someone, here they are.</li>
<li><b>Harassing a cannibal</b>. The bird is tormenting a Cannibal Dancer or Untamed Wind for its own amusement.</li>
<li><b>Reminiscing</b>. <i>"I remember you, or perhaps an ancestor, hm... Tell me the story of when I last met you, man-thing."</i></li>
<li><b>Bored</b>. Simply bored, the creature will banter until it gets hungry.</li>
<li><b>Acting out an ancient drama</b>. The Wind that Bites from the Dark once instrumented a great calamity here, or slew a great hero. The bird wishes to reenact this, and you arrived just in time to facilitate. Roll reaction to determine how dangerous a role it has in mind.</li>
<li><b>Making war</b>. There are two cannibal birds here either fighting each other or engaging in a contest (roll again to determine its character).</li>
<li><b>Witnessing savagery</b>. The bird has heard of a great cruelty or tragedy, natural or man-made, occurring or about to occur, which it wishes to observe. If none manifests it will create one, figuring that it itself must be the cause, though it did not know this beforehand.</li>
<li><b>Destroying man-made objects</b>. The bird is tearing down buildings, defacing sculptures, altering trail signs, or otherwise warping humanity's mark on the environment.</li>
<li><b>Dressing itself in grave goods</b>. The beast is pulling clothing from a corpse or pile of refuse, which it will proceed to wear incorrectly. It solicits opinions on its aspect from any onlookers. Anything other than excessive flattery angers it.</li>
<li><b>Hiding and observing</b>. You are being watched <i>really obviously</i>, but without interference. It is far too big to hide behind that bush, or far too humanoid to perch on that branch. It leaves after a few turns, but only if unacknowledged.</li>
<li><b>Pretending to be a human</b>. The bird wants to play at being a headman; you will be the slaves. It wants you to construct a makeshift village out of found materials (or occupy an abandoned one) and go through the drudgery of daily life. In a day or two it will get bored and just wander off.</li>
<li><b>Telling a lie</b>. There is a very specific thing it needs to tell to you and only you. This thing is absolutely untrue; assuming otherwise leads to catastrophe.</li>
<li><b>Building something</b>. The bird is constructing a sculpture or effigy (d6: 1. giant spiky nest, 2. wicker man, 3. intricate maze, 4. wooden cages dangling from branches, 5. mosaic of many colors, 6. elaborate gauntlet of traps and snares) from detritus & human remains. It may ask a critique, or force intruders to assist in finding the perfect finishing piece.</li>
<li><b>Doesn't remember</b>. <i>"I have forgotten my purpose here. You tell me."</i> It attacks if the answer is completely against its nature but otherwise follows the instruction exactly.</li>
<li><b>Asking questions</b>. The bird has questions about the nature of humanity. It has no context whatsoever with which to understand the answer and will become frustrated and angry when it doesn't.</li>
<li><b>Learning to be a human</b>. <i>"Teach me to be like you."</i> It copies the player's actions exactly, becoming angry if the player performs an action it cannot.</li>
<li><b>Collecting shinies</b>. <i>"You have many shiny objects. Give me all of them."</i> All of these are immediately put to use as self-adornment, or littered on the ground (equal chance).</li>
<li><b>Starting fires</b>. The bird starts a fire, fans it with its wings, watches it burn for a moment or a day, and then puts it out again, over and over and over. It only acknowledges intruders if interrupted.</li>
<li><b>Singing to the sky</b>. Carrion birds circle overhead as the bird caws a semi-intelligible tune at the sky. Any human copying the song finds that it incites birds to attack them suddenly, which causes the Cannibal Bird to laugh. It attacks if any of these birds are injured, but does not otherwise do harm. The song continues to work long after the meeting but cannot be taught to others.</li>
</ol>
<b>Treasure: </b>Those that play along and do not irritate the Cannibal Bird receive a gift when it departs. Roll d6:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
1-3. <b>Twigs, leaves, and assorted detritus</b>. Seemingly useless. A thorough search may reveal 4d6gp in coins and salvageable goods hidden in the trash. Or not.<br />
4-5. <b>Pile of suspicious meats</b>. Strangely delectable and sweet-smelling. Equivalent to 2d6 days rations. Infects any human eating it with an Untamed Wind, other creatures are sickened (-2 to all actions). Remains perfectly preserved for a month, then rots away in moments.<br />
6. <b>A random magic item</b>. Appears old and ill-used, but functional. If a magic weapon is rolled, it is automatically intelligent and possessed of a murderous avian spirit, which seeks to desecrate flesh and tear down civilization.</blockquote>
<br />
<div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cYmGgn9898A/VC50Qr36bKI/AAAAAAAACIc/9KIYlkivFmQ/s1600/mahaha.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="233" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cYmGgn9898A/VC50Qr36bKI/AAAAAAAACIc/9KIYlkivFmQ/s1600/mahaha.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.inuitmyths.com/mahaha.htm" rel="nofollow">Source</a>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Khusaxha</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: start;">
<b>Number Appearing:</b> 1<br />
<b>Armor Class: </b>5 [14]<br />
<b>Hit Dice: </b>5+2<br />
<b>Attack:</b> Rend d6<br />
<b>Special:</b> Horror, proboscis<br />
<b>Move: </b>15<br />
<b>Morale: </b>10<br />
<b>Intelligence: </b>Human-like<br />
<b>Alignment: </b>Chaos<br />
<b>Size: </b>Medium (5'-6' tall)<br />
<br />
The khusaxha (in the trade jargon simply "skookum" - a dangerous thing) are frightening spirits that seem to occur spontaneously, clouds of mosquitoes accreting into manlike shapes driven by some stray urge of the Cannibal Wind unclaimed by Dancers and Cannibal Birds.<br />
<br />
A khusaxha first appears as an unremarkable stranger - pleasant, nonthreatening, and excessively human. Only the inevitable attack reveals its nature. Those who witness a khusaxha's violence see them undergo a frightful transfiguration into a cackling ghoul of gangling limb and mad rictus grin. This sight provokes a saving throw, failure indicating that the victim freezes in horror for a turn. Those yet to observe the khusaxha's brutality directly continue to perceive it as a normal human.<br />
<br />
To feed on men a khusaxha will vomit from its mouth a horrible proboscis like a beak of glass erupting from inverted throat. This attacks at -2 "to hit" but when thrust into a victim's body may suck out internal organs whole or in part. Targets struck immediately suffer d6 damage, and they will take 2d6 damage automatically each round thereafter until the proboscis is ripped from their body (2 in 6 chance, modified by Strength). If a victim is reduced to 0 hit points in this way, an internal organ is visibly sucked from their body through the proboscis, and the khusaxha immediately heals 2d6 HP.<br />
<br />
For ease of description, the following d20 table may be consulted in lieu of standard Death & Dismemberment:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
1-3. <b>Brain</b>. Instant death.<br />
4-6. <b>Heart</b>. Instant death.<br />
7-8. <b>Lung</b>. Instant death.<br />
9-10. <b>Intestine</b>. Requires immediate magical healing.<br />
11-12. <b>Liver</b>. Requires immediate magical healing.<br />
13. <b>Stomach</b>. Requires immediate magical healing.<br />
14. <b>Bladder</b>. Requires immediate magical healing.<br />
15. <b>Pancreas</b>. Requires immediate magical healing.<br />
16-17. <b>Kidney</b>. Bleeding out.<br />
18. <b>Spleen</b>. Bleeding out.<br />
19. <b>Appendix</b>. Bleeding out.<br />
20. <b>Gallbladder</b>. Bleeding out.</blockquote>
Those who do not immediately perish from such a loss later find that they are possessed by the odd but irresistible urge to catch and eat mosquitoes, surreptitiously shoving them into their mouth when they think no one is watching. Though not significant enough to model with Ego conflict, this counts as possession by cannibal spirits for ritual purposes. After several weeks (1d6+3) of this behavior the mosquitoes will devour the victim's insides and their skin will walk as a new khusaxha.<br />
<br />
When reduced to 0 hit points, a khusaxha's innards dissipate into a cloud of mosquitoes. Their skin drops to the ground, empty except for a pile of stolen organs. The spirit animating it is not actually dead, but it will take several months accumulating mosquitoes and for it to return, and even then it will not retain its memory.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
<b>Treasure: </b>A pile of bloodstained rags, skin, and human organs.<br />
<div>
<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S2Yh63ykuoI/VEQxw1PmnlI/AAAAAAAACL8/Oxw73gJdWEY/s1600/All_her_daughters_by_korintic.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S2Yh63ykuoI/VEQxw1PmnlI/AAAAAAAACL8/Oxw73gJdWEY/s1600/All_her_daughters_by_korintic.jpg" width="282" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://korintic.deviantart.com/art/All-her-daughters-68796213" rel="nofollow">Source</a>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Untamed Wind</b></span><br />
<b>Number Appearing:</b> 1-3<br />
<b>Armor Class: </b>7 [12]<br />
<b>Hit Dice: </b>3<br />
<b>Attack:</b> By weapon or Unarmed d6<br />
<b>Special:</b> Frenzy, mimicry<br />
<b>Move: </b>15<br />
<b>Morale: </b>9<br />
<b>Intelligence: </b>Human-like<br />
<b>Alignment: </b>Chaos<br />
<b>Size: </b>Variable<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: start;">
Not all those possessed by the Cannibal Wind join the Dance. Untamed Winds lurk in hidden places giving themselves over to cannibal lust without objection, heedless of the horrors their condition drives them to. Without the dance, these individuals are haunted by horrific visions of giant, monstrous women stalking the world and eating men whole, pushing them to ever greater sins. Few survive long, but many innocents are consumed in their wake.<br />
<br />
Untamed winds enter cannibal frenzy as a Cannibal Dancer does, though the manifestation is more extreme, limbs bending backward at impossible angles and teeth snapping beyond the reach of their jaws. They frenzy in all combats, gaining all the same bonuses, up to and including the ability to swallow souls on a damage roll of 6. They may mimic voices as a Cannibal Dancer does and are similarly distressed by large fires, suffering -2 to Morale in their presence.<br />
<br /></div>
</div>
<b>Treasure: </b>Untamed winds are wild barbarians, and keep the possessions of uncivil men.<br />
<br />
<b>When possessing Player Characters (Ego 10):</b> The untamed wind desires to consume human flesh, and will resist eating any food which does not contain it as a major component. If the host becomes at all hungry, it will seek to kill and eat any human available, driving the character to cannibal frenzy. As violence and barbarism personified, it will also force its host to frenzy if they behave in a manner that could be construed as at all civilized, such as required by a ritual greeting or community meal. The host gains all abilities described above, but the untamed wind will resist using them for purposes other than slaying humans to eat.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-C5C-jRjtNwg/VC9A7ztX6-I/AAAAAAAACJo/N_2uLumNxyg/s1600/hiiden_hirvi_by_yennie.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-C5C-jRjtNwg/VC9A7ztX6-I/AAAAAAAACJo/N_2uLumNxyg/s1600/hiiden_hirvi_by_yennie.jpg" width="224" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://yennie.deviantart.com/art/hiiden-hirvi-demon-s-elk-115187677" rel="nofollow">Source</a>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Wechuge</b></span><br />
<b>Number Appearing:</b> 1<br />
<b>Armor Class: </b>5 [14]<br />
<b>Hit Dice: </b>3+ (2 higher than base creature)<br />
<b>Attack:</b> By weapon<br />
<b>Special:</b> Variable<br />
<b>Move: </b>12<br />
<b>Morale: </b>8<br />
<b>Intelligence: </b>Human-like<br />
<b>Alignment: </b>None<br />
<b>Size: </b>Medium (5'-6' tall)<br />
<br />
There is another idea of creation, one rejected by Changers in the furthest recesses of mythic time. In it everything is backwards, and animals hunt men for food instead of the other way around. This was set largely aright at the advent of the current world, but the border between possibilities is thin, and some spirits become confused about which reality they belong in. It is even said that certain upriver peoples, far removed from Straits civility, seek out such abomination deliberately.<br />
<br />
<div>
Those possessed by these spirits (corrupted by hostile sorcerers or taboo violation or otherwise) are wechuge. Intelligent hunters, they view men as their game and will use all available skill and artifice to aid in the chase, each spirit bringing different methods and capabilities to assist them.</div>
<br />
A wechuge spirit is not always active, and its host will appear and act as a normal human until exposed to certain triggers. These initiate the hunt and warp the host with what mutations the spirit brings. The additional Hit Dice (+2) and capabilities of the wechuge are only counted during this period and fade afterward, though not until the spirit has had time to both feed and calm. Slaying the body in either state destroys both host and spirit.<br />
<br />
There are as many expressions of wechuge as there are animals in the world (some would say many more), and they have an equally wide variety of abilities, but if a random wechuge spirit is needed at short notice, the referee may roll d6 on the following chart:<br />
<ol>
<li><b>Stilt-Legs</b> is a great moose who strides above treetops. Those possessed by him have bizarre elongated limbs, standing 10ft tall on all fours, on which they scamper about with great facility. He attacks with a mighty leap, stomping foes to death, and travels overland in impossible strides. Stilt-Legs is triggered by the removal of the skins of animals, and by nakedness. <b>[Move 24, Stomp 2d6 but -2 "to hit".]</b></li>
<li><b>Greed-Mask</b>, whose sacred eyes devour, is a god of raccoons. The eyes of those he possesses swell huge and black, consuming the face in bruised flesh shoved aside by their bulging. His gaze alone consumes souls, though he will also partake of man's substance if given opportunity. He is triggered by aggressively long eye contact, and by the wearing of masks. <b>[Bite d3, gaze causes save or Soul Loss.]</b></li>
<li><b>Grandmother Spider</b> is the first trapmaker. Her hosts grow impossibly thin and bandy-legged with twisted knobbly fingers that can grip anything. She is compelled to make large numbers of traps and snares, all of which she can <i>feel</i> even from great distance, and often builds a lair full of such. She is triggered by the sound or sight of a plucked string, or the tying of complex knots. <b>[Can sense state of traps, 5 in 6 climb.]</b></li>
<li><b>Eyes-like-Lightning</b> dwells above the clouds with the ancestors of eagles. The possessed appear normal except in rain or darkness, where their eyes flash dramatically. He attempts to hunt in lightning storms, and when exposed to bright flashing of any kind. <b>[Darkvision, surprises 4 in 6 in rain or darkness, if gains surprise all opponents must save or blinded for d6 turns.]</b></li>
<li>The <b>Moon Frog</b> is a star-born spirit that eats men as flies. Her great lashing tongue dangles from the mouths of those she possesses, slurping thoughts from her prey's minds as she hops about. She is triggered by eating meat old enough to contain fly's eggs, and by the full moon. <b>[Bite d3, tongue attack inflicts Soul Loss and target must save or forget themself for a turn.]</b></li>
<li><b>Old Iron-Teeth</b> is grandfather to wolves. The possessed shove bits of iron or other metals into their mouth and under their fingernails where they root in place as grotesque armament. Any metal that strikes him may similarly be absorbed into his flesh. He is triggered by the taste of undercooked meat, and by the sight of his own blood. <b>[Rend d6+2, negates damage from metal weapons 4 in 6.]</b></li>
</ol>
<b>Treasure: </b>The host of a wechuge is still human and retains the possessions of such.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">When possessing Player Characters </span><b>(Ego 8):</b> Any character possessed by a wechuge spirit is subject to the same triggers as listed above, and undergoes the same transformations. When exposed the spirit becomes activated and will make an Ego check to control the character's body. It compels them to hunt men and will not relenting until it tastes human flesh or the character wrestles back control.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tEnSYw9wWJA/VD3TVu7KOOI/AAAAAAAACLM/VoZRMGgtglA/s1600/w_for_wendigo_by_tohdaryl-d5wxmqf.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tEnSYw9wWJA/VD3TVu7KOOI/AAAAAAAACLM/VoZRMGgtglA/s1600/w_for_wendigo_by_tohdaryl-d5wxmqf.jpg" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://tohdaryl.deviantart.com/art/W-for-Wendigo-357647703" rel="nofollow">Source</a>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Windigo</b></span><br />
<b>Number Appearing:</b> 1<br />
<b>Armor Class: </b>Variable<br />
<b>Hit Dice: </b>1-10<br />
<b>Attack:</b> Variable<br />
<b>Special:</b> Bullet & cold immune, & see below<br />
<b>Move: </b>Variable<br />
<b>Morale: </b>10<br />
<b>Intelligence: </b>Human-like<br />
<b>Alignment: </b>Chaos<br />
<b>Size: </b>Variable (5'-16' tall)<br />
<br />
Though the spawn of foreign skies, the windigo is known to the Straits. Canadien voyageurs carried them clothed in flesh down the overland routes over long years. Any survival cannibalism practiced along those frozen tracks may seed the spirit in one's heart.<br />
<div>
<br />
Those possessed are cursed to hunger after human flesh eternally, their body forever expanding beyond possible satisfaction. A windigo begins with 1 HD, even if its host is of greater potency, but uses the higher of the two scores for hit points, attacks, saving throws, etc. If the creature eats a number of humans equal to its HD in a single week, its HD increases by 1.<br />
<br />
Windigo are immune to bullets, which tear flesh but do little actual harm, and to all damage from cold or frost. Only one method is known to permanently slay them: They must be hacked apart with axes, their remains burned & buried, and trees felled over their grave. Forgoing this process leaves a 1 in 6 chance each month that the windigo will return to haunt its slayers.<br />
<br />
Several other physical and behavioral changes are observed as the windigo increases in Hit Dice:<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8M_Q-_pAnJE/VAqEB8mqEcI/AAAAAAAABuY/dufixgZwWcQ/s1600/Wendigo_FFV_Amano_(Alternate).jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8M_Q-_pAnJE/VAqEB8mqEcI/AAAAAAAABuY/dufixgZwWcQ/s1600/Wendigo_FFV_Amano_%28Alternate%29.jpg" width="232" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Wendigo_(Final_Fantasy_V)" rel="nofollow">Source</a>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<u style="font-weight: bold;">At 1-3 Hit Dice</u> windigo are not what they seem. They avoid normal food without knowing why and complain of cold as their insides begin to freeze. Despite this they recoil from flame, though this may be overcome with exertion of will. They act unsocial, and without concentration their face relaxes to an impassive owlish stare. The hunger feels strange and foreign when it strikes, but they cannot resist it.</div>
<div>
<br />
This early they may still be cured. Tricking or forcing them to drink scalding bear grease deals d6 damage to spirit and host both (separately rolled). Should windigo disperse and host live, the latter will vomit a slurry of melting ice and flesh and recover in a matter of days. The risk of course is death from internal burns. This cure may be applied multiple times if at first unsuccessful.<br />
<br />
<b>[AC by armor, Bite 1-3 or Weapon, Move 12]</b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<u style="font-weight: bold;">At 4-7 Hit Dice</u> the heart of the possessed freezes to ice, and their body dies. The spirit grows so hungry that it chews away the body's lips, exposing cruel bloodied teeth. Windigo at this stage attack with snapping jaws, lurking on civilization's edge to ambush and devour. Stalking silent and corpse-pale, it is nearly impossible to detect them at any distance in snowy conditions. The only warning is the glint of wide-staring eyes leering through the storm.<br />
<br />
The windigo will flee fire with a horrific screeching. Treat attempts to menace them with flame as a Turn Undead check, using as Cleric level the intensity of flame in "torches" wielded to harass them. Once an attempt has failed, it may be tried again only if the amount of fire is significantly increased.<br />
<br />
<b>[AC 6(13), Bite d6+2, Move 12, regenerate 1/round outdoors, 4 in 6 surprise in snow]</b><br />
<br />
As the windigo gains HD from here on its body stretches out gruesome and gaunt, growing taller and more emaciated with each body consumed (from man-sized at 4 HD to twice that at 8 HD). Long hours in the wild blacken its flesh with frostbite. Eventually, the flesh rots away entirely.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-K5yzFzxcsSo/VEUL06Ju9dI/AAAAAAAACMI/joErhvgPFiE/s1600/baaafdde34457ef7fb26f398380aa4da.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-K5yzFzxcsSo/VEUL06Ju9dI/AAAAAAAACMI/joErhvgPFiE/s1600/baaafdde34457ef7fb26f398380aa4da.jpg" width="245" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://id.pinterest.com/pin/42080577743209819/" rel="nofollow">Source</a>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<b><u>At 8+ Hit Dice</u></b> what remains is a towering skeleton of splintering ice, cracking and popping as it jerks about on sharp limbs. Remnants of skin cling to its frame in ragged strips, and frozen organs swell in its torso, including a heart shining with puissance.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
More spirit than substance, at this stage the windigo may fade to the form of blowing snow, rendering it functionally invisible, incorporeal, and flying, though exposure to a flame forces to knit its body back together. It attacks with great frozen claws and pulls at souls with every frozen breath. Those it grasps are brought to its mouth so it may rip off their limbs or consume them whole, head thrown back and choking hideously, leaving piles of cracked bones, tangled hair, and discarded teeth as the only evidence of its passing.<br />
<br />
<b>[AC 3(16), Rend 2d6 + Soul Loss + on a 12 save or roll Death & Dismemberment regardless of Hit Point total, Move 15/18 snow form, regenerate 2/round outdoors]</b><br />
<br />
Windigo of up to 12 HD have been observed. Fully 16ft tall, these beasts are found only in the deepest north or on mountain peaks where the snow never melts, stalking endlessly over glaciers in search of food. Monstrosities of greater immensity are only theorized.<br />
<br />
<b>Treasure: </b>Often none, though shattering a windigo of 8+ HD produces a pile of primal ice shards that melt only in blood. Enough is found for d6-2 daggers or spear blades and 2d6 arrowheads. These are +2 to hit & damage but good only for a single successful strike. Any human they wound is infected with a windigo spirit. If unused the shards will eventually reform, exactly as a windigo improperly buried.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">When possessing Player Characters </span><b>(Ego 6+HD): </b>The windigo desires to eat human flesh sufficient to increase its HD. If this is not accomplished, an Ego check will force the character to murder if given any opportunity, and to seek out people if away from civilization. Otherwise, the possessed follows the rules for windigo of 1-3 HD above. Once the windigo attains 4 HD, the character dies and is thereafter an NPC monster.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WdZ0kxyj3yQ/VCaGrehAEhI/AAAAAAAACHA/SvxKEVn0gDQ/s1600/we-are-what-we-are.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WdZ0kxyj3yQ/VCaGrehAEhI/AAAAAAAACHA/SvxKEVn0gDQ/s1600/we-are-what-we-are.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sudden and horrifying resumption of self. <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2309021/" rel="nofollow">Source</a>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4684706459804289214.post-28660452752663087432014-09-11T20:01:00.001-07:002014-09-13T00:13:46.764-07:00The world is as sharp as a knife<div style="text-align: center;">
<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1BMz1lzbR44/VAvNBXXToyI/AAAAAAAABvU/gwQppvYECwQ/s1600/sitka.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1BMz1lzbR44/VAvNBXXToyI/AAAAAAAABvU/gwQppvYECwQ/s1600/sitka.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They who will soon die. <a href="http://www.trollart.com/alaska.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Source</a>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: start;">
<div>
<i>When you are a warrior, the knife is always on you. It is first to put on in the morning, last to take off at night. Name it Close-at-Hand, there to guard your people at all times</i><i>.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
- Xa'aiŋa advice to young men</div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: start;">
<div>
<i>Capture slaves, settle debts, revenge trespasses - it is irrelevant. What matters is this: go there, kill them all, and then you will have all the things that they own.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
- Raven to the Hungry People</div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: start;">
<div>
<i>That's no good. People who use that armor are no real war men. Warrior doesn't care if he lives or dies! Disgrace for a man to fight with any protection but his power. Nutl'ileb men have got big heart, don't need that kind of stuff!</i></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
- A dead man</div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: start;">
<div>
<i>To his eldest son the warrior warned, "The world is as sharp as a knife. The careless fall right off." Ever the know-it-all, as eldest children so often are, the son retorted, "The world is broad and flat! None could fall off it!" Then, in kicking the earth to demonstrate its reliable solidity, he ran a splinter through his foot and died shortly thereafter.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
- Məŋa'məŋa' tale</div>
</blockquote>
</div>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: start;">
Periodic slave raids, blood feuds, and attacks of reprisal are unfortunately common in the Straits. Every headman needs slaves - how else to gather the resources necessary to demonstrate his wealth? And it is well known that only battle alleviates the sorrow of loss - if you are hurting, it is only sensible to ensure that others hurt, too.<br />
<br />
And so raiders appear in the night, burning villages to nothing before any even knew there was to be war. Lone fishermen and those given to wandering disappear without warning. Grinning strangers appear on the horizon only to betray the lie of friendship with sudden violence. Survivors that cannot flee into the woods are enslaved.<br />
<br />
In this environment, every village needs professional warriors. These are dangerous and unwholesome men, but necessary. Peculiar and surly, they speak little as they stalk the villages with eyes always darting sideways, knowing this threatening carriage makes them objects of fear. When the raiders muster, all the other villagers huddle inside, for it is said they are like a great mouth, always open and ready to swallow anything that passes.<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Tools of War</b></span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Armor Types</span></b></div>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qIP0yWhMILY/UV8xGUmKT_I/AAAAAAAABIk/pNxzNtuhDuU/s1600/cord.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qIP0yWhMILY/UV8xGUmKT_I/AAAAAAAABIk/pNxzNtuhDuU/s200/cord.png" height="200" width="135" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coiled cedar cuirass.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rTwBvcLfiJI/VAv7FF_1WdI/AAAAAAAAByE/tK5m3YGTm40/s1600/ftclclamonfieldmus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rTwBvcLfiJI/VAv7FF_1WdI/AAAAAAAAByE/tK5m3YGTm40/s1600/ftclclamonfieldmus.jpg" height="200" width="141" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elk-hide jacket.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FCK7hirUsBo/VAwujg4aSEI/AAAAAAAAByc/F5YRAH5dGvM/s1600/elk%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FCK7hirUsBo/VAwujg4aSEI/AAAAAAAAByc/F5YRAH5dGvM/s1600/elk%2B2.jpg" height="200" width="152" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elk-hide tunic.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<u><b><br /></b></u><b><u>Common Leathers</u>: </b>Elk or deer hide shirt or jacket & leggings. Commonly worn as clothing by outsiders and Straitsmen alike, or under heavier armors. [AC 8.]<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<u><b>Hide Tunic</b></u><b>: </b>Treated hides of elk, walrus, sea lion, moose, or bear draped loosely over the body. Northerners travel far each year to obtain these trading in the elk-hunting villages of the far southern Straits, near unto Fusang. Often painted with family crests or other symbols. Also worn under Slat & Rod armor. [AC 8, 7 vs. arrows, teeth, & claws.]</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<u><b>Coiled Cedar</b></u><b>: </b>Coils of braided cedar rope sewn tightly together. It is stiff and cumbersome, but popular among the warlike villages of the deep fjords in the central Straits. [AC 7, penalty on athletic action.]<br />
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<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ziUZwRI1HNQ/VAxGJk1jsVI/AAAAAAAABz4/eL8ueCmc2ek/s1600/slatarmor1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ziUZwRI1HNQ/VAxGJk1jsVI/AAAAAAAABz4/eL8ueCmc2ek/s1600/slatarmor1.jpg" height="225" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Slat & rod cuirass.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MG6KWIZDZZ8/UV7Guq_oXDI/AAAAAAAABIU/vNlnyST_nKg/s1600/ftclclamoncoinsfm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MG6KWIZDZZ8/UV7Guq_oXDI/AAAAAAAABIU/vNlnyST_nKg/s200/ftclclamoncoinsfm.jpg" height="200" width="144" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coin mail jacket.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><u></u></b><br />
<b><u></u></b>
<b><u><br /></u></b>
<b><u>Slat & Rod</u>: </b>Hardwood slats & rods bound with rope or fiber, worn over elk hide. Often includes similar shin and arm protection. This armor is emblematic of the northern peoples and their preeminence in war, though the design is slowly proliferating throughout the Straits as chaos and violence rise. [AC 6, penalty on athletic action & stealth.]<br />
<br />
<b><u>Coin Mail</u>: </b>An extravagant display of wealth, this armor is of hundreds of Chinese copper coins (Qing dynasty, as old as 1644) affixed to an elk hide backing. Men would kill simply to own it. Often accompanied by slat & rod shin and arm protection. [AC 5, penalty on athletic action & stealth.]<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GT63NEXnnqU/VAzXcPW2eLI/AAAAAAAAB2c/CPq3GoiC_tQ/s1600/tlingit-helmet1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GT63NEXnnqU/VAzXcPW2eLI/AAAAAAAAB2c/CPq3GoiC_tQ/s1600/tlingit-helmet1.jpg" height="200" width="173" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wooden helm.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1B8cKVDgYnU/VAxQt40s__I/AAAAAAAAB0s/ioa1j4rIJU8/s1600/collar1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1B8cKVDgYnU/VAxQt40s__I/AAAAAAAAB0s/ioa1j4rIJU8/s1600/collar1.jpg" height="160" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wooden collar.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<b><u>Wooden Helm</u>: </b>Carved from dense spruce burls into hideous and intimidating shapes. Combines with collar to form great helm. [Protects against blows to the top of the head.]<br />
<b><u><br /></u></b><b><u>Wooden Collar</u>: </b>A bentwood plank cut from a spruce burl and painted with crest designs. Contains a bite ring to hold it in place. Combines with helm to form great helm. [Protects against injury to the face and neck.]<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AyQTv8wpNmI/UWGK68P038I/AAAAAAAABI0/XkLjPLb2ZoA/s1600/killer_whale.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AyQTv8wpNmI/UWGK68P038I/AAAAAAAABI0/XkLjPLb2ZoA/s200/killer_whale.jpg" height="200" width="175" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great helm.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rCQlt1wPeWU/VAxMVgn2kcI/AAAAAAAAB0I/410w5CybD-4/s1600/3507684.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rCQlt1wPeWU/VAxMVgn2kcI/AAAAAAAAB0I/410w5CybD-4/s1600/3507684.jpg" height="200" width="130" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great helm.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<u><b>Great Helm</b></u><b>: </b>Full spruce helmet covering the entire head and face. The great helm and its component parts are also northern designs, perhaps even more iconic than slatted armor, and are spreading similarly. [-1 bonus to AC, imposes penalty on perception & surprise, muffles speech (no spellcasting).]<br />
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<br />
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Weapon Types</b></span><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NwxvRiXxgMA/VA-gD-fWfII/AAAAAAAAB5I/dpzXYJwQX3M/s1600/AN00282528_001_l.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NwxvRiXxgMA/VA-gD-fWfII/AAAAAAAAB5I/dpzXYJwQX3M/s1600/AN00282528_001_l.jpg" height="85" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wooden slave-killer.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FJES0doRaM0/VAw5c13eNfI/AAAAAAAABy4/D1SOHSkYg9w/s1600/AN00299089_001_l.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FJES0doRaM0/VAw5c13eNfI/AAAAAAAABy4/D1SOHSkYg9w/s1600/AN00299089_001_l.jpg" height="126" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stone slave-killer.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<b><u>Slave-killer</u>:</b> This heavy, blunt dagger makes for an awkward combat weapon but serves admirably in its main roll of delivering finishing blows to downed opponents or sacrificial slaves. [Halved piercing damage.]<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OX4WiggAwNA/VA8XGHGUDXI/AAAAAAAAB4k/JHKTOIjpUww/s1600/16_8388.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OX4WiggAwNA/VA8XGHGUDXI/AAAAAAAAB4k/JHKTOIjpUww/s1600/16_8388.jpg" height="133" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Copper-breaker.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Al4u9WMVNho/VAw5ZnZRsQI/AAAAAAAAByw/70eDnc1EkQ0/s1600/copperbreaker2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Al4u9WMVNho/VAw5ZnZRsQI/AAAAAAAAByw/70eDnc1EkQ0/s1600/copperbreaker2.jpg" height="160" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Copper-breaker.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<u><b><br /></b></u>
<u><b>Copper-breaker</b></u><b>:</b> A wood-shafted stone hammer made for dramatically breaking ceremonial copper sheets but often pressed into service as a combat weapon. [Blunt damage.]<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qbz-24EZ3No/VAw5V9QJf-I/AAAAAAAAByo/uk7xFhRpuas/s1600/6456856_1_l.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qbz-24EZ3No/VAw5V9QJf-I/AAAAAAAAByo/uk7xFhRpuas/s1600/6456856_1_l.jpg" height="126" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spearhead fighting pick.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tl89jx8IWis/VA8aIy-xKDI/AAAAAAAAB44/qHMceHKPd1Y/s1600/19_202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tl89jx8IWis/VA8aIy-xKDI/AAAAAAAAB44/qHMceHKPd1Y/s1600/19_202.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Horn fighting pick.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b><u>Fighting Pick</u>:</b> A deadly war pick or axe. Often serves as a slave-killer would at major memorial feasts and house dedications, but also finds use as a weapon. [Piercing damage.]<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dcaMZ3pqkH0/VAw8KqDUlHI/AAAAAAAABzI/lNowYlQpaCY/s1600/green-stone-club.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dcaMZ3pqkH0/VAw8KqDUlHI/AAAAAAAABzI/lNowYlQpaCY/s1600/green-stone-club.jpg" height="115" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stone club.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Mor_hW8xmyY/VAw8vvuvo0I/AAAAAAAABzQ/aF-BB61VR5k/s1600/warclub2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Mor_hW8xmyY/VAw8vvuvo0I/AAAAAAAABzQ/aF-BB61VR5k/s1600/warclub2.jpg" height="101" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wooden club.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DBVKmnZZakQ/VA8Y7WsHxPI/AAAAAAAAB4w/C97HcBC-thQ/s1600/2handclub.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DBVKmnZZakQ/VA8Y7WsHxPI/AAAAAAAAB4w/C97HcBC-thQ/s1600/2handclub.jpg" height="49" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two-handed wooden club.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AN2rTMxenrg/VAw8-2mqZtI/AAAAAAAABzU/XebYl9tnjq4/s1600/haidaclub.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AN2rTMxenrg/VAw8-2mqZtI/AAAAAAAABzU/XebYl9tnjq4/s1600/haidaclub.jpg" height="66" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Whalebone club.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b><u>War Club</u>:</b> A variety of clubs taking a variety of forms. May be of stone, hardwood, bone, whalebone, antler, or similarly robust materials. Most are single handed, though some are not. Most have a narrow edge to concentrate force, and occasionally teeth, but some are rounded (these more closely related to those used to kill seals & caught fish, but still serviceable as weapons of war). [Bludgeoning damage, +1 damage for two-handed varieties.]<br />
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<div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1nF0xyetkHk/VA8Ww3p3VbI/AAAAAAAAB4c/Wsue0yYVHc8/s1600/copperclub.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1nF0xyetkHk/VA8Ww3p3VbI/AAAAAAAAB4c/Wsue0yYVHc8/s1600/copperclub.jpg" height="55" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Copper sword.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b><u>Copper Sword</u>:</b> A war club pounded from copper with sharpened edge approaches what the Company would call a "sword". Quite rare. Takes its form from club designs rather than the Californio & Mexicano swords that occasionally appear in the hands of certain Straitsmen. [Slashing damage.]<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9KzxvVz6Z_Y/VAxWIu4oiFI/AAAAAAAAB04/B3V3EAzpw5Y/s1600/NA1286.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9KzxvVz6Z_Y/VAxWIu4oiFI/AAAAAAAAB04/B3V3EAzpw5Y/s1600/NA1286.jpg" height="320" width="220" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Copper dagger.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Fa02pRUZaoY/VAxZSiGaKII/AAAAAAAAB1I/c2IOfIQnkGk/s1600/tlingit%2Bdouble%2Bbladed%2Bedit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Fa02pRUZaoY/VAxZSiGaKII/AAAAAAAAB1I/c2IOfIQnkGk/s1600/tlingit%2Bdouble%2Bbladed%2Bedit.jpg" height="320" width="92" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Double dagger.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--Kz7mrDg4jk/VAxW4S6AmiI/AAAAAAAAB1A/3W61_OxIFyU/s1600/nat%2Bamer%2Bblade%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--Kz7mrDg4jk/VAxW4S6AmiI/AAAAAAAAB1A/3W61_OxIFyU/s1600/nat%2Bamer%2Bblade%2B1.jpg" height="320" width="152" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Iron dagger.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<u><b>Dagger</b></u><b>:</b> Fighting daggers on the Straits take many forms, though most are of copper or iron. Copper is acquired locally, but iron must be traded for or salvaged from meteors and shipwrecks, though it can be honed, tempered, and ground with flutes locally. Other possibilities include bone, horn, or obsidian, though these are not esteemed. All are commonly worn on a thong about the neck and lashed to the wrist in battle.<br />
<br />
The larger double-bladed dagger is more ancient, and a symbol of war. The one that wears it is generally assumed to be a professional warrior, slaver, or madman. [Piercing damage.]<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">
<tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AgPmBMVjDU0/VAv1a8W38vI/AAAAAAAABxY/pK3mipzsi6Q/s1600/skagit-atlatl-moa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AgPmBMVjDU0/VAv1a8W38vI/AAAAAAAABxY/pK3mipzsi6Q/s1600/skagit-atlatl-moa.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Atlatl.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-srbYV24NuWU/VAy-f6xI0sI/AAAAAAAAB18/JANXdmLSTaY/s1600/2435768867_c2ccbf8a5f_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-srbYV24NuWU/VAy-f6xI0sI/AAAAAAAAB18/JANXdmLSTaY/s1600/2435768867_c2ccbf8a5f_o.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Copper spearhead-daggers.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
</div>
<b><u>Spear</u>:</b> Spears are of many types, both long and short. A common design uses a particular type of dagger for a head, that it may be detached when needed for other purposes. [Piercing damage, reach.]<br />
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<b><u>Atlatl</u>:</b> The spear thrower is still in use, though less and less common of late. Its notable advantage is in having no powder or string to ruin in the rain, bringing its usefulness up dramatically in local weather conditions. Darts are notably larger and more cumbersome than arrows. [Piercing damage, unaffected by rain.]<br />
<br />
<b><u>Sling</u>:</b> The sling is also common and is much the same as is known the world over. [Bludgeoning damage, unaffected by rain.]<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WaIW8i7z2yY/VA7Ecn2il8I/AAAAAAAAB4M/10or_JMQZng/s1600/haidacable-backed-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WaIW8i7z2yY/VA7Ecn2il8I/AAAAAAAAB4M/10or_JMQZng/s1600/haidacable-backed-2.jpg" height="108" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cable-backed bow.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-udEq4V6YHCU/VAxiDYiNd2I/AAAAAAAAB1g/IxQrur6OtEc/s1600/wariw01b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-udEq4V6YHCU/VAxiDYiNd2I/AAAAAAAAB1g/IxQrur6OtEc/s1600/wariw01b.jpg" height="47" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flatbow.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><u><br /></u></b><b><u>Bow</u>:</b> Bows are of the flatbow type and ideally made of yew, with arrows of willow. In the absence of decent wood, the cable-backed bow is known and used, strengthening the stave with an opposite string. [Piercing damage.]<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kccisbLWPZ0/VAxcEM58bhI/AAAAAAAAB1U/Q9KTXUDySGM/s1600/1964082.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kccisbLWPZ0/VAxcEM58bhI/AAAAAAAAB1U/Q9KTXUDySGM/s1600/1964082.png" height="138" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sawed-off trade gun.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><u></u></b><br />
<b><u></u></b>
<b><u>Trade Gun</u>: </b>Muskets acquired from the Company or Mexicano explorers are found in many (but not all) villages of the Straits. They are altered and decorated with the same intricate sensibility that Straitsmen apply to all their crafts. [Piercing damage +1, alerts wandering monsters.]<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Warrior Societies</b></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wudyagwilis brings a war party.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The War-Makers' Society</b></span></div>
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<i>Little know you men of the South</i></div>
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<i>what valiant warriors we are</i></div>
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<i>Poorly can foes contend with us</i></div>
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<i>when we come with our daggers</i></div>
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- Traditional raider's chant</div>
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The largest and most populous (though not the most prestigious) of the warrior societies is that of Wudyagwilis, the War-Maker, who flies silently and kidnaps souls to the underworld. Nearly every village in the Straits can boast of a few members.<br />
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Wudyagwilis is patron of slavery, antagonism to foreigners, the blood feud, and masculinity among women. He appears as a mysterious war canoe full of corpses drifting over water or flying through the sky, a pack of black wolves or pod of black porpoises moving in unison and making no sound, or a giant emaciated corpse dressed in battle armor. His approach is signaled by deafening silence and stillness accompanied by bleeding from the ears, eyes, and nose.<br />
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Members of the society are known to paddle canoes silently, frighten with a gaze, and injure themselves in dramatic public displays. Though a welcome presence bolstering village defenses, they are not well loved, for they are universally a dangerous and hot-tempered lot.<br />
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<b><u>Restrictions</u></b><br />
In order to use any powers, society members must obscure their face. This is typically done by donning full great helms, wearing masks of fearsome aspect, or keeping especially wild and unkempt hair.<br />
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Society members have difficulty calming themselves after provocation. If forced to disengage from combat without physically besting an enemy (because they must flee, or the enemy does, or external factors intervene), they become extremely agitated and take a -2 penalty to reaction rolls & stealth checks. This condition lasts until either the society member sleeps a night or is able to vent their frustrations upon another source.<br />
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In order to maintain their power, a society member must sever the head of a human opponent and display it prominently near their home or on their person. When the head has rotted to bone (or is stolen or otherwise disappears), it must be replaced. This is usually accomplished through raiding, though there are other ways.<br />
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<b><u>Benefits</u></b><br />
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<b>Veterans</b> (level 1) of the society, though normally of a loud and blustery disposition, can move with eerie silence (4 in 6 chance) when intent on violent surprise. This stealth ability may also extend to other situations, but at a reduced rate of success (3 in 6 chance). This ability is supernatural, though it is still somewhat diminished (-1) by excessive armor.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uKk-_rMfYj8/VAzQQItq4yI/AAAAAAAAB2Q/DMyl_FgiSso/s1600/658ea5482c408e71a2108c911724f126.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uKk-_rMfYj8/VAzQQItq4yI/AAAAAAAAB2Q/DMyl_FgiSso/s1600/658ea5482c408e71a2108c911724f126.jpg" height="307" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A society slaver.</td></tr>
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<b>Heroes</b> (level 4) of the society no longer feel pain or cold. Minimum damage rolls (such as 1 on d6) seem to wound but subtract no hit points. Damage rolls of more than minimum damage subtract hit points as normal, though the society member is still able to ignore associated pain absolutely.<br />
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Society members often use this ability to deliberately self-injure in intense and horrifying ways to demonstrate ferocity to their fellows. One expression often seen in the winter season is that of piercing the skin and hanging from longhouse rafters by leather thongs for days at a time.<br />
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Also at this level, the society member's supernatural sneaking ability extends to all those in a party they are currently leading, up to 4 individuals.<br />
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<b>Superheroes</b> (level 8) of the society possess a countenance so fearsome that few can tolerate looking upon them directly. They may use this ability to contort foes with a gaze by dramatically revealing their face and eyes. Those looking upon them must make an immediate saving throw or suffer violent spasms taking them out of combat for 1-3 rounds. Only beings of human-like disposition and intellect may be affected, and only those of hit dice up to half the society member's level. Warriors who reach this degree of power often construct a special mask that splits down the middle for just this purpose.<br />
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Also at this level, the society member's supernatural sneaking ability improves (to 5 in 6 and 4 in 6, respectively) and extends to all those in a party of up to 16 individuals.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yjC37DHn8hs/VBFipsvWUXI/AAAAAAAAB5Y/2ZXOEp3OUn0/s1600/sisiutlgrey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yjC37DHn8hs/VBFipsvWUXI/AAAAAAAAB5Y/2ZXOEp3OUn0/s1600/sisiutlgrey.jpg" height="241" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ritual preparations.</td></tr>
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As a <b>Group Ritual </b>the society may summon the sisiutl (see below) to ward a location. This requires a 4-hour ritual to be performed near the water where the sisiutl is to appear. Once summoned, a large mammal (often a human slave) must be sacrificed to the creature in order to placate it. It remains in the vicinity, attacking all who approach by water (including any it was summoned to protect) as long as it receives such a sacrifice each day. Hiring the society for this service requires 1d6×250gp in goods gifted to the performers.<br />
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Though rarely taken up on the offer, the society will also summon the sisiutl for the purpose of challenging it to combat, for which they expect 1d6×1000gp in gifts. Society members will remain to watch such a battle and to prevent others from intervening. Typically only one combatant is allowed the challenge, though certain auspicious signs have in times past allowed for parties of two or four.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Affiliated Beasts</b></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://collection.legacy.uvic.ca/index.php?artifact_action=info&id=20425" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Source</a>.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Sisiutl</b></span><br />
<b>Number Appearing: </b>1<br />
<b>Armor Class: </b>2 [17]<br />
<b>Hit Dice: </b>12<br />
<b>Attack:</b> Bite ×2 (2d6)<br />
<b>Special:</b> Contorting gaze, shapeshifting, poison<br />
<b>Move: </b>3, 18 swim<br />
<b>Morale: </b>10<br />
<b>Intelligence: </b>Superhuman<br />
<b>Alignment: </b>Law<br />
<b>Size: </b>Variable (20' long default)<br />
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The sisiutl (it is unknown whether the creature is representative of a race or a unique being that simply recurs) is among the mightiest sea creatures known in the Straits. An enormous serpent with three faces, each end of its body terminates in a reptilian maw. A third face bulges in its body's center, showing a grimacing human aspect. Many who have seen this third face without perishing describe it as startlingly familiar to that of their father, but this is surely madness.<br />
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The gaze of this center face inspires a primal terror so great that it cannot be described. Victims must make an immediate saving throw or succumb to violent convulsions, paralyzing them in twisted shapes for 1d6 turns.<br />
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The sisiutl is a shapeshifter. In addition to being able to alter its size at will (from as small as a worm to twice its base length), it can take on a number of alternate forms. The full breadth of this ability is unclear, but some possibilities are:<br />
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<li>a large, copper-scaled salmon [may leap 40 feet in the air to swipe with its tail];</li>
<li>a self-propelled war canoe, on which its likeness is painted [quadruple standard canoe travel speed];</li>
<li>a lean, muscular human with serpentine features [acts as a War-Makers' Society superhero, see above];</li>
<li>a short spear, carved in its likeness, that flies on its own dispatching enemies quickly by jumping through their bodies [4 attacks per round, d6+2 damage]; and</li>
<li>a rounded glittering stone which is hazardous to look upon [any seeing it are affected as by the sisiutl's gaze]. </li>
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In each of these alternate forms the sisiutl retains its AC and HD but loses access to other special abilities.<br />
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Though they are little known, the sisiutl also has a few key weaknesses:<br />
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<li>It's human face is not as well protected as its body and can be hit as AC 7, though attacking it directly does mean being subject to its gaze.</li>
<li>The sisiutl cannot cross a line of fresh human blood, on land or in water, instead battering itself against the barrier as if it were a wall of stone.</li>
<li>Feeding the creature seal blood will lock it in its current form or size for d6+23 hours. If locked in a particular form for 4 days (during which time it will continue to violently assault its enemies by whatever means) it will begin to forget that it is a sisiutl at all. In this way great heroes have acquired magical canoes and weapons, though they still must stain them with seal blood each day to stave off the creature's reversion.</li>
<li>If by some chance the sisiutl is forced onto land in its serpentine form, its skin will begin to dissolve. It takes 1-3 hit points of damage per round and films over with a disgusting slime poisonous to all life (1d6 damage on touch, save for half, continues each round until doused in water), a trail of which is left behind as it desperately tries to return to the water.</li>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eUtBSidvPjY/VAzehpkKJ2I/AAAAAAAAB20/qtJgJ0kZazE/s1600/04-2-2-bighouse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eUtBSidvPjY/VAzehpkKJ2I/AAAAAAAAB20/qtJgJ0kZazE/s1600/04-2-2-bighouse.jpg" height="116" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sisiutl guards the door to the house of the War-Makers.</td></tr>
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The sisiutl is encountered without being summoned only rarely, though it is known to appear in both river and sea. It might also be sighted at a great distance, creating a ferocious racket as it wars with other titans of the open water such as krakens, thunderbirds, and whales.<br />
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<b>Treasure: </b>Well-established legend states that bathing in the blood of a sisiutl toughens a warrior's skin to the hardness of rock. Those choosing to test this theory must make an immediate saving throw. Success grants a natural AC of 2, this bonus diminishing by 1 each month until AC returns to normal. Failure turns the character to stone.<br />
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The back spines and human eyes of the sisiutl function as magical arrowheads and sling stones, striking spirit-beings and dealing an additional die of damage on a hit. Its skin is the preferred material for magic belts, though that requires additional treatment and ritual.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4684706459804289214.post-20122283686918079482014-08-26T12:48:00.000-07:002014-08-26T14:10:16.798-07:00Children of the Sea<div style="text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-62nkyt8duoU/U_myRIg9rFI/AAAAAAAABiE/lzxRc4KEo9M/s1600/PseudoPlesiosaur%2BCarcass.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-62nkyt8duoU/U_myRIg9rFI/AAAAAAAABiE/lzxRc4KEo9M/s1600/PseudoPlesiosaur%2BCarcass.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Sea vomits forth its abominations upon the earth. <a href="http://frontiersofzoology.blogspot.com/2011/05/repost-dale-drinnon-possible.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Source</a>.</td></tr>
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<i>The headman came to regret his decision to marry his daughter to the Sea. The Sea had of course kept its promises - the fish returned in great numbers, and the village was awash in plenty. But each year, during the traditional time of visiting in-laws, his daughter rose from the depths <b>Changed</b>.</i></blockquote>
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<i>On the first visit, the headman saw his daughter damp and brine-smelling, with ornaments of copper and shaped coral.</i></blockquote>
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<i>On the second visit, seaweed entwined her hair, and barnacles clung to her skin.</i></blockquote>
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<i>On the third visit, she was mottled with patches of scale, and her eyes no longer looked human at all.</i></blockquote>
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<i>On the fourth visit, her breath was difficult and gasping, and she seemed to wither and dry in the sun. This could go on no longer.</i></blockquote>
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<i>Greatly saddened, the headman released her from familial obligations. She would visit not more. All knew the Sea would keep its promises regardless.</i></blockquote>
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<i>His grandchildren the headman never met...</i></blockquote>
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<i>...but we have, lurking on lonely islands of valueless land where neither game nor fresh water is found. Beware the desolate beaches, my relatives, for Sea Born sorcery is hazardous to all true-blooded men.</i></div>
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- Xwaxamsh cautionary tale</div>
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Long has the Sea been jealous of the land, distant and isolate, stolen from its domain in mythic time. It desires nothing more than to walk the forbidden surface, and has twice succeeded in doing so in ancient and dimly remembered days, though in each instance Changers arose to drive it back.<br />
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Denied this privilege, the Sea of our late era has chosen a new tactic: to vomit its children upon the shore to engage in blasphemous couplings, birthing tiny vessels into which it may pour its being, overflowing them with its puissance. Over time these invaders have drifted together to form little villages, giving rise to an unwholesome and degenerate race.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Character Options</b></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-B126L5YPA8Q/U_riHhfBEAI/AAAAAAAABl8/veUPmuhEVGk/s1600/mGTiopLnKUXxrWZtb08lG69DRG4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-B126L5YPA8Q/U_riHhfBEAI/AAAAAAAABl8/veUPmuhEVGk/s1600/mGTiopLnKUXxrWZtb08lG69DRG4.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0264508/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Source</a>.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Sea Born</b></span><br />
The ugly, decrepit villages of the Sea Born cling to barren, rocky shorelines where true men rarely travel. Those few that pass observe no nobles, no headmen of account to form alliances of marriage with, and little in the way of impressive goods to trade apart from what is fished from the depths or washed upon the beach. The Sea Born send no participants to ceremonies or gatherings of any kind, and none visit them. Lacking other opportunity, it is assumed they must marry among each other.<br />
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This is true, and to disturbing effect for as the Blood Brine mixes with itself a concentration of essence is achieved, giving birth to hideous grotesqueries inherited directly from the Sea. While most Sea Born are ill-favored with matted hair, brine stench, pale clammy skin, and uncanny features, lurking in the shadows of their villages are vile shambling things: men with the claws of crabs and the faces of eels and much, much worse.<br />
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Despite this, Sea Born are rumored to be powerful sorcerers - unfitting targets for most slave raiders. They are reviled and avoided by all; even the orcas and seals shun their shores.<br />
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Some theorize that all denizens of the Straits (perhaps even all coastal peoples the world over) are children of the Sea with only a generation or two of misbreeding between them and full degeneracy. This view is notably unpopular, though certain sailors among both Kanakas and Boston Men demonstrate especial fear of the Sea Born, some distant memory of horrors committed on far shores.<br />
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<b><u>Character Advancement</u></b><br />
Sea Born advance as both Fighting Men, with a level limit of 6, and Magic-Users, with a level limit equal to the number of Blessings of the Sea they possess (see below).</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pP1q6EQMyyY/U_moRGhl0II/AAAAAAAABh8/lJVHRdHFA9o/s1600/dagon009.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pP1q6EQMyyY/U_moRGhl0II/AAAAAAAABh8/lJVHRdHFA9o/s1600/dagon009.png" height="240" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0264508/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Source</a>.</td></tr>
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<b><u>Restrictions</u></b><br />
Sea Born may not join Warrior Societies nor benefit from the patronage of any spirits, including most intelligent or spirit-possessed weapons. Sea Born Magic-Users may not memorize standard spells, instead casting from a limited & separate list.<br />
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<b><u>Benefits</u></b><br />
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<b>Aquatic Adaptation:</b> Sea Born perform twice as well as humans with respect to speed and mobility underwater. When underwater or in the Underworld, they may see clearly and make normal use of other senses to a range of 60 feet.<br />
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Sea Born may hold their breath underwater for a number of turns equal to their total number of levels. Upon reaching Fighting Man level 4, they gain the ability to breathe underwater permanently if Blessings have not granted them this ability already.<br />
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<b>Blessings of the Sea:</b> Each Sea Born begins play with d3 Blessings of the Sea (see table below) to reflect the degree of corruption in their bloodline. Those with no obvious blessings can pass for human with minimal effort.<br />
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Each Blessing reduces the Sea Born's Charisma score by 1. A Sea Born with a Charisma score of 2 or 1 must make a Saving Throw each time they are called upon to behave as a civilized person might. On a failure they forget their humanity and instead behave as an ocean-thing. A Sea Born with a Charisma score of 0 has permanently lost touch with humanity and walks into the sea, seeking to join their ancient progenitors therein.<br />
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<b>Copper Affinity:</b> In Sea Born hands, weapons and armor of copper function as well as those of steel. Orichalcum (copper & gold alloyed) performs equally well, and has the additional capability of striking creatures hit only by magical weapons. These metals are sacred to the Sea, and part of this connection is passed down to all its children.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-07YuzZcWEbc/U_phaVx9PtI/AAAAAAAABjw/qQYqAmufXBU/s1600/317600332_7318867bb6_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-07YuzZcWEbc/U_phaVx9PtI/AAAAAAAABjw/qQYqAmufXBU/s1600/317600332_7318867bb6_o.jpg" height="320" width="232" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://secure.flickr.com/photos/97213807@N00/317600332/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Source</a>.</td></tr>
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<b>Regeneration:</b> The Sea cares for its offspring and allows Sea Born a limited ability to reconstitute their bodies from its essence. A dismembered or slain (but dead no longer than one turn per level) Sea Born immersed in seawater may make an immediate Saving Throw to heal their wounds, growing new flesh to replace the old. A Sea Born healed in this way returns with 1 hit point per Hit Die, plus any bonus from Constitution. Each successful use of this ability imposes a cumulative -5 penalty on further attempts until a full week of rest is achieved.<br />
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New flesh is never that of a normal human; the Sea Born must roll on the Blessings of the Sea table to determine what they have been gifted with. These regenerations are permanent and count as Blessings of the Sea for the purposes of Charisma reduction and Magic-User level limit increase.<br />
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Even on a failed save regeneration may be attempted again at a later date. This requires a ceremonial bloodletting accompanied by the sacrifice of d6×100gp per level worth of wealth to the Sea.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Sea Born Spells</b></span><br />
<u style="font-weight: bold;">The Water Voice</u><br />
Level: MU1<br />
Range: 30 feet<br />
Duration: 1 hour per level<br />
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The caster can command fishes and aquatic molluscs, crustaceans, and other invertebrates. Treat this as a Turn Undead attempt. Intelligent targets may be commanded as 1 entry higher than indicated by their HD, as may ghostly and/or spirit beings as a total of 2 entries higher. A result of D indicates that a longer service may be demanded.<br />
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The ghosts of the drowned or lost at sea may also be commanded in this way, but not if they have been claimed by a kushtaka. Aquatic mammals are completely immune. The sisiutl is likewise unaffected, though the reason for this is not known.<br />
<br />
<u style="font-weight: bold;">Breath of the Sea</u><br />
Level: MU2<br />
Range: 30 feet<br />
Duration: 1 turn per level<br />
<br />
This spell grants sea creatures the ability to breathe in the air for the duration.<br />
<br />
If cast on an air-breathing creature, the target instead begins coughing & vomiting up ocean water. The target is incapacitated at least one round, and each round thereafter must make a saving throw or remain incapacitated and additionally take d6 drowning damage. A single successful save ends the spell.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gznvdSzkPhk/U_pRbp4Wu6I/AAAAAAAABi4/cPaTdzNz39A/s1600/tumblr_mmlzhe2dZR1snzwjto4_1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gznvdSzkPhk/U_pRbp4Wu6I/AAAAAAAABi4/cPaTdzNz39A/s1600/tumblr_mmlzhe2dZR1snzwjto4_1280.jpg" height="236" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://scientificillustration.tumblr.com/post/51736490532/biologicalmarginalia-more-anomalous-japanese" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Source</a>.</td></tr>
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<u style="font-weight: bold;">Call to Ancient Depths</u><br />
Level: MU3<br />
Range: 60 feet<br />
Duration: 24 hours<br />
<br />
By dripping blood into a water source, the caster calls spirits of the ancient ocean into being - vast armor-plated fish, paddle-footed scorpions with whiptails, 20' eels with catfish faces, thousand-limbed squids - the ghosts of all life that ever swam and died in the sea.<br />
<br />
The total Hit Dice of these creatures is equal to the caster's Hit Dice, divided any way the caster chooses. Individual Hit Dice may also be split into three single hit point creations each, but these lesser creatures only attack for a single point of damage.<br />
<br />
Creations are semi-solid and may influence their environment as physical beings might (such as by pulling a canoe or battering at a closed door) but are also affected by spells that specifically target water. They obey the caster's spoken commands but behave as ocean-things otherwise. Each dissipates after 24 hours.<br />
<br />
<u style="font-weight: bold;">Direct the Tide</u><br />
Level: MU4<br />
Range: 60 feet<br />
Duration: 10 minutes<br />
<br />
The caster can control the shape and flow of nearby water sources. Water can overtop low boundaries, flow uphill or counter to prevailing tides, form whirlpools or other intensely difficult conditions, or be shaped into battering jets (ranged attack to push targets back). Water is controlled in a contiguous area of up to 10 cubic feet per caster level.<br />
<br />
In the Underworld, this spell has the additional capability of creating powerful waves of force in the hazy half-water environment of that place. Used this way, the caster may push or pull on creatures and objects as if they were affected by a strong tide. Those affected must make a Saving Throw each round or flow as the caster chooses.<br />
<br />
<u style="font-weight: bold;">Flood the Vessel</u><br />
Level: MU5<br />
Range: 10 feet<br />
Duration: Permanent<br />
<br />
The caster calls on the ghost of the Sea itself to flow into a target within range. Unless a Saving Throw is made, one spiritual ally of the target is smothered out. Familiars, attendant spirits, intelligences residing in weapons or other items, and relationships or connections with divine or mystical patrons are all at risk. Such connections can only be repaired with the assistance of a skilled tamanous man or a physical journey to the Fading Caverns of the Dead.<br />
<br />
If the target has no such spirit allies remaining, they are instead afflicted as if by energy drain. If this would normally slay the target, they instead immediately roll on the Blessings of the Sea table and thereafter act as a Sea Born.<br />
<br />
Sea Born respond entirely differently to this spell. It can either cure them of 4d6+4 hit points of damage or restore one level lost to energy drain. In either case, they must make a Saving Throw or acquire a new Blessing of the Sea.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Blessings of the Sea</b></span><br />
<br />
<b>General notes:</b><br />
• This is a d6:20 table, requiring the roll of both a d6 and a d20.<br />
• Results replace human equivalents if possible but are otherwise additive.<br />
• Mismatched legs impose a -3 penalty to land speed. Any paired legs negate this penalty.<br />
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• Mismatched eyes impose a -2 penalty to hit. Any paired eyes negate this penalty.<br />
• Maximum underwater vision distance is 120ft. Additional eye pairs instead reduce chance to be surprised by 1.<br />
• Maximum Swim speed is 24. Additional limbs merely look terrifying.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mEscuGNmY9I/U_pUM6h9FGI/AAAAAAAABjM/gXir7SxbGLM/s1600/skeleton-feet-9461331492.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mEscuGNmY9I/U_pUM6h9FGI/AAAAAAAABjM/gXir7SxbGLM/s1600/skeleton-feet-9461331492.jpeg" height="219" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.sodahead.com/living/boy-has-31-fingers-and-toes-real-or-fake/question-929051/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Source</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
1:01-1:08 <b>Fish Arm</b>. Webbed, clawed and scaled, jutting spines and fins.<br />
01-02: One. Claw attack. +3 Swim speed.<br />
03-08: Two. Claw attack. +6 Swim speed.<br />
1:09-1:16 <b>Fish Leg</b>. Webbed, clawed, and scaled, jutting spines and fins.<br />
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09-10: One. +3 Swim speed.<br />
11-16: Two. +6 Swim speed.<br />
1:17-1:20 <b>Fish Scales</b>. Scales cover entire body. -1 bonus to AC.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2m2SvHyoxSg/U_rXjo2BCAI/AAAAAAAABlk/7u8HhddggN4/s1600/artlimited_img378788.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2m2SvHyoxSg/U_rXjo2BCAI/AAAAAAAABlk/7u8HhddggN4/s1600/artlimited_img378788.jpg" height="320" width="246" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.artlimited.net/image/en/378788" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Source</a>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
2:01-2:04 <b>Fish Eye</b>. Bulging lidless fish eye, watery and unblinking. Protective membrane.<br />
01: One. +30ft underwater vision.<br />
02-04: Two. +60ft underwater vision.<br />
2:05-2:08 <b>Fish Mouth</b>. Long sharp teeth like ivory needles. Bite attack.<br />
2:09-2:10 <b>Fish Gills</b>. Pulsating slits open on neck. Water breathing.<br />
2:11-2:12 <b>Fish Tail</b>. +6 Swim speed.<br />
2:13 <b>Fins</b>. Sprout independent of limbs, jutting out from body at odd angles. +3 Swim speed.<br />
2:14 <b>Delicate fan-like ears</b> grace the sides of your head.<br />
2:15 <b>Rows and rows of triangular shark teeth</b>. Bite attack with +2 damage bonus.<br />
2:16 <b>Rough sandpapery skin</b>. Dull and flat, muted in color. -1 bonus to AC.<br />
2:17 <b>Cartilaginous skeleton</b>. Can squeeze through narrow spaces. +4 to saves to avoid breaking bones.<br />
2:18 <b>Dead black eyes</b>. +60ft underwater vision.<br />
2:19 <b>Catfish barbels</b>. Vastly increases sense of smell underwater. -1 chance to be surprised.<br />
2:20 <b>Lamprey mouth</b>. d3 bite damage added to grapples.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vzEsFwGK4_I/U_pPm6ovpLI/AAAAAAAABik/bgueFlaW9dQ/s1600/Octopus-sucker-deformity.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vzEsFwGK4_I/U_pPm6ovpLI/AAAAAAAABik/bgueFlaW9dQ/s1600/Octopus-sucker-deformity.jpg" height="318" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Octopus-sucker-deformity.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Source</a>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
3:01-3:08 <b>Cephalopod Arm</b>. Long and sinuous and suckered. May replace legs instead of arms, but only one or the other.<br />
01 One. +1 to grapple checks.<br />
02 Two. +2 to grapple checks.<br />
03 Three. +3 to grapple checks.<br />
04 Four. +4 to grapple checks.<br />
05 One hunting tentacle with barbed club. Clubbing attack with 10ft reach.<br />
06 Two hunting tentacles with barbed clubs. Clubbing attack with 10ft reach.<br />
07 Two. +2 to grapple checks. All cephalopod arms gain serrated suckers that add d3 damage to grapples.<br />
08 Four. +4 to grapple checks. All cephalopod arms gain serrated suckers that add d3 damage to grapples.<br />
3:09-3:12 <b>Cephalopod Ink</b>. Saliva has turned black. Vomit ink once per day. Underwater, this obscures vision in a 20ft cube for a turn. On dry land, it creates a slippery 20ft pool on hard surfaces that requires a Saving Throw to safely walk across, or it may blind if vomited directly into eyes.<br />
3:13-3:14 <b>Cephalopod Eye</b>. Creepy invertebrate eye with odd-shaped pupil.<br />
13: One. +30ft underwater vision.<br />
14: Two. +60ft underwater vision.<br />
3:15-3:18 <b>Cephalopod Beak</b>. Black beak concealed in a sheathe of rubbery flesh. Bite attack with paralytic poison. Save or paralyzed d6 rounds.<br />
3:19-3:20 <b>Cephalopod Siphon</b>. Protrudes obscenely from the neck to suck and sputter. Water breathing.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Y4TFLLiRRQ0/U_l7VEEqX2I/AAAAAAAABg0/TQ-M19pJaQY/s1600/557cb29322926834e77a9d9c931662.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Y4TFLLiRRQ0/U_l7VEEqX2I/AAAAAAAABg0/TQ-M19pJaQY/s1600/557cb29322926834e77a9d9c931662.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://radiopaedia.org/images/599939" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Source</a>.</td></tr>
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4:01-4:08 <b>Crustacean Claw</b>. Chitinous claw hand.<br />
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01-02 One. Claw attack.<br />
03-04 Two, equal size. Claw attack.<br />
05-06 Two, asymmetric. Claw attack. One is huge and grants +2 damage.<br />
4:07-4:10 <b>Crustacean Leg</b>. Pointed, skittering crab legs.<br />
07-09 One.<br />
10 Six. May walk on ocean floor at speed 9.<br />
4:11-4:12 <b>Pleopods</b>. Additional paddle-limbs folded to torso. +3 Swim speed.<br />
4:13-4:16 <b>Crustacean Shell</b>. Skin purples showing an internal shell, in some places ripping through the skin in pointed shapes. -4 bonus to AC.<br />
4:17-4:18 <b>Crustacean Eye</b>. Faceted eyes on short stalks.<br />
17 One. +30ft underwater vision. All around vision grants -1 chance to be surprised.<br />
18 Two. +60ft underwater vision. All around vision grants -1 chance to be surprised.<br />
4:19-4:20 <b>Crustacean Mouth</b>. Mouth becomes mass of grinding chitin complete with feeding arms. Speech is difficult.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Z3zZ5B2HqmE/U_pS9IbCKiI/AAAAAAAABjE/nv6NKS0sl2M/s1600/8549713725_9390e941fb_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Z3zZ5B2HqmE/U_pS9IbCKiI/AAAAAAAABjE/nv6NKS0sl2M/s1600/8549713725_9390e941fb_o.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://secure.flickr.com/photos/97213807@N00/8549713725/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Source</a>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
5:01 <b>Coral Growths</b>. Portions of the body covered with rocky growths, rooted in the bones. -3 bonus to AC.<br />
5:02 <b>Translucent stinging pustules</b> cover skin. Grapple attacks provoke a Save, failure causes d6 poison damage.<br />
5:03 <b>Puckered sea cucumber mouth</b>. Once per week you can eject portions of your digestive tract from your mouth. Then for a week you don't have a digestive tract.<br />
5:04 <b>Starfish arm</b>. Arm is simplified and plastic, only good for the grossest manipulations, but it will regenerate on its own in 1 week if severed. May make a Dexterity check to intercept an attack with the arm, negating normal damage but losing it temporarily.<br />
5:05 <b>Rubbery sea slug flesh</b> covers the body in dazzling colors. Patches dominated by complex folds and waving tentacles. Half damage from blunt attacks.<br />
5:06 <b>Feathery rhinospores</b> protrude from the forehead. Vastly increases sense of smell underwater. -1 chance to be surprised.<br />
5:07 <b>Rubbery bioluminescent horns</b> protrude from forehead. Act as a fixed <i>light</i> spell at-will.<br />
5:08 <b>Shrimp tail </b>emerges from base of spine. Can fold rapidly when panicked to create movement underwater. Even when surprised, you can move 30ft during a surprise round.<br />
5:09 <b>Long shrimp antennae</b> jut from face. Allows limited vibration sense underwater. -1 chance to be surprised.<br />
5:10 <b>Whiplike sea scorpion tail with stinger</b>. Poisonous sting attack. Save or 2d6 poison damage and experience oceanic hallucinations for d3 rounds.<br />
5:11 <b>Multicolored spines </b>cover body. Any grappling with you must Save or take d6 poison damage.<br />
5:12 <b>Mass of writhing feeding tentacles</b> surround mouth. You can only talk with great difficulty.<br />
5:13 <b>Mass of rubbery tentacles </b>replaces head hair, waving on its own in water. May shoot tiny stingers at a range of 20ft, Save or d6 poison damage and paralyzed for 1 round.<br />
5:14 <b>Body elongates muscular and tubelike</b> from which limbs poke absurd. Half damage from blunt attacks.<br />
5:15 <b>Segmeted chiton shells</b> grow on portions of your body. -2 bonus to AC.<br />
5:16 <b>Eyes migrate to one side of face</b>. Surprised half as often by encounters from one side, twice as often from the other.<br />
5:17 <b>Gills branch like feathery horns from neck</b>. Water breathing.<br />
5:18 <b>Skin secretes a thick slime</b>. -2 to grapple checks made against you. Once per day you may thrash about wildly to choke nearby water with slime. Acts as a <i>slow</i> spell in a 20ft radius.<br />
5:19 <b>Tiny black eyes </b>open all over your body. They cannot see clearly but sense light & motion. -1 chance to be surprised.<br />
5:20 <b>Multicolored feathery bristles </b>bloom all over body.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8yUEzkxTIm8/U_qTXCRUskI/AAAAAAAABk4/QsdUM68OAh0/s1600/Feejee_mermaid_left.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8yUEzkxTIm8/U_qTXCRUskI/AAAAAAAABk4/QsdUM68OAh0/s1600/Feejee_mermaid_left.png" height="131" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Feejee_mermaid.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Source</a>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
6:01 <b>You are a favored child</b>, and the Sea will send you aid when you are injured. Once per week when you are reduced to half or fewer Hit Points while in or near water, creatures may arrive to assist you. Roll a d6 to determine what arrives after d6 rounds:<br />
1: Nothing,<br />
2: d6 sharks,<br />
3: d6 giant sea scorpions,<br />
4: a swarm of nautiluses,<br />
5: a giant hagfish,<br />
6: a Fiji mermaid.<br />
6:02 <b>Other sea life roots itself in your flesh</b>. Oysters, barnacles, mussels, and feathery pipeworms begin to settle on and in your skin. 2 in 6 chance to hide in appropriate underwater environments, 4 in 6 if motionless on the ocean floor.<br />
6:03 <b>Rough flaps of dead green tissue</b>. Covers body giving the appearance of seaweed. 2 in 6 chance to hide in appropriate underwater environments, 4 in 6 in thick seaweed or kelp.<br />
6:04 <b>Skin changes color </b>to sea green, coral pink, bright aquamarine, or a deep reddish-purple.<br />
6:05 <b>Translucent flesh</b> exposes portions of your internal anatomy to external scrutiny.<br />
6:06 <b>You skin is always crusted with salt</b> when dry.<br />
6:07 <b>Bioluminescent patches</b> develop all over your skin. You can glow as a <i>light</i> spell in any color and in patterns of moderate complexity.<br />
6:08 <b>Chromatophores in your skin</b> allow you a limited chameleon ability. While nude, you can hide with a 4 in 6 chance in underwater environments, 2 in 6 elsewhere.<br />
6:09 <b>Nacre secretions</b> render your teeth, nails, & bones iridescent. When reduced to 0 or 1 HP by a stabbing attack, the wound forms a cyst that will produce a d20×5gp pearl in 1 week.<br />
6:10 <b>Electric organs </b>develop under your skin. In a grapple, opponents automatically take 1 point of electricity damage and must make a Save with a +4 bonus or become stunned for 1 round. Underwater the save is made at +2, and you can use the ability to make attacks to a range of 10ft.<br />
6:11 <b>Your hair is prehensile</b> but only strong enough to move purposefully in water. In air it can only flap about ineffectually.<br />
6:12 <b>Your power ebbs and flows like the tide</b>. During a full moon, you are considered 2 caster levels higher for all spells. During a new moon, you are 2 caster levels lower.<br />
6:13 N<b>ever cold</b>. You suffer no ill effects from mundane cold or wet and take only half damage from magical cold.<br />
6:14 <b>Clams tell you secrets</b> by spitting water into your ears. They are always on the beach, watching and listening.<br />
6:15 <b>You can see through pearls</b> to a range of 1 mile, but you must crush and snort a pearl of equivalent value to gain this ability. It lasts only one night.<br />
6:16 <b>Your voice sounds like gurgling water</b> and occasionally water drips from your mouth while speaking. Your use of <i>the water voice</i> spell counts as 2 levels higher.<br />
6:17 <b>Blood foams in air</b>. Any attack dealing you 6 or more damage sprays a cloud of bloody mist in a 10 foot radius, obscuring sight for a round.<br />
6:18 <b>Sea Veins</b>. Skin pales. Veins pop blue. Bleed cold seawater spiked with algae. Gain a bonus Hit Die for the day if allowed to drink great quantities of seawater in the morning.<br />
6:19 <b>Copper implements instantly verdigris at your touch</b>. Copper weapons changed in this way function as +1 magic weapons while in your grasp.<br />
6:20 <b>You can sense the presence of copper and gold</b> by smell to a range of 60ft three times per day.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Example Lords of the Sea</b></span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2zFOTEvYVhE/U_pbxVOoEjI/AAAAAAAABjY/FHAz1QBTb-Y/s1600/devil_fish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2zFOTEvYVhE/U_pbxVOoEjI/AAAAAAAABjY/FHAz1QBTb-Y/s1600/devil_fish.jpg" height="320" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://duanepasco.com/category.php?id=6" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Source</a>.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Malku who Bleeds Worms</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Fighting Man 4, Magic-User 7<br />
<br />
Malku is not a man; he is a collection of ocean-things inhabiting a manlike form, a being of greater purity and closeness to the Sea than other Sea Born could ever hope to achieve. All must hearken to him to hear the words bubbling up from the most sacred depths. The proof of these claims is plain in his veins: When cut or stabbed, Malku bleeds not blood but a thick black fluid that swims with innumerable white worms.<br />
<br />
Malku dominates the Sea Born village at Ski'ki'albsh, which remains under his thumb not through religious fervor but rather by virtue of his potent water-sorcery that calls up abyssal serpents to devour those that cross him. He is a powerful and terrifying presence that regulates every aspect of life in his village.<br />
<br />
To the Company, Malku appears quite different: He is a brine-stinking lunatic terrorizing an insignificant band of grotesques and outcasts who would have been ripped apart by cannon fire long ago were it not for the mysterious gold and copper artifacts he produces for trade each summer. The Company would pay dearly if one could discover his source, which seems to be ancient Muvian, and then quietly eliminate him.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LZdyObdm1j0/U_me-zZHEpI/AAAAAAAABhs/9y9CyaWiLG0/s1600/Grabbler_by_ExcessiveSurrealist.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LZdyObdm1j0/U_me-zZHEpI/AAAAAAAABhs/9y9CyaWiLG0/s1600/Grabbler_by_ExcessiveSurrealist.png" height="320" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.deviantart.com/art/Grabbler-122800154" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Source</a>.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Mesqwuyahl, Mother of Crabs</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Fighting Woman 6, Magic-User 9<br />
<br />
None now living have ever seen the Mother of Crabs. But she must live still, for her children plague villages throughout the Straits just as they have since she first scuttled the land in the time of our grandfathers' grandfathers.<br />
<br />
These children (see Mesqwiwsu below) are vile, pathetic things - mockeries of human flesh folded into crab shapes. They are vermin to be exterminated, lurking as they do near the villages of true men thinking odd crabbish thoughts in their odd crabbish minds. They are never eradicated, as Mesqwuyahl births a steady stream of them into the world from her secret birthing grotto.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
Surely any who could slay Mesqwuyahl would be hailed as a hero in all villages up and down the Straits. Honors and feasts await the savior that can finally end this epidemic of meeping crab-things. If only there existed one brave and clever enough to seek out the domain of Mesqwuyalh and take their place among the honored ancestors.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pQGPNmG82m0/U_zB-DukmjI/AAAAAAAABmU/14Wfj9-f7gA/s1600/20090302_095313_3987.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pQGPNmG82m0/U_zB-DukmjI/AAAAAAAABmU/14Wfj9-f7gA/s1600/20090302_095313_3987.jpg" height="320" width="252" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://theravenscall.ca/en/art/gallery/paintings/10" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Source</a>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>S'awajen, the Sea Devil</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Fighting Man 6, Magic-User 3<br />
<br />
The village S'awajen inhabits is ruined, seemingly abandoned. He alone stalks the driftwood shells, bellowing and crashing.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Stories say the village was struck by Northern raiders, and S'awajen died defending it a dozen times over, and after each death the Sea brought him back with remade flesh. He is lost now, recalling little of humanity except rage at those that invade his home. Many ships full of valuable cargo have been breached and crashed upon the shore as reward for drifting too close to S'awajen's domain.</div>
<br />
The name lain on him by Boston men is Sea Devil. He rears up on powerful finned legs, lamprey mouth sucking and sputtering while serpent eyes goggle aimlessly between comical wide-fanning ears. His body is fish-scaled tapering to a muscular tail, and he tears at all flesh with serrated pincers.<br />
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<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0RL2Ig3omE8/U_prdulVYqI/AAAAAAAABkM/0KILYAKoVcM/s1600/Juana_In%C3%A9s_de_la_Cruz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0RL2Ig3omE8/U_prdulVYqI/AAAAAAAABkM/0KILYAKoVcM/s1600/Juana_In%C3%A9s_de_la_Cruz.jpg" height="320" width="241" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Juana_In%C3%A9s_de_la_Cruz.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Source</a>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Doña María Xosé Fárrago Ezequiel</b></span><br />
Fighting Woman 2, Magic-User 3<br />
<br />
Doña María Xosé is a pirate and a leader of pirates, the wealthy daughter of a Californio nobleman given free rein to terrorize the Pacific coast in effort to discourage settlement by other powers. Despite that she manifests no Blessings openly, her crew knows she is something beyond human, though they studiously avoid commenting on her habits where others might hear.<br />
<br />
Her <i>water voice</i> spell is unusually strong, and around her ship swarm countless squids, eels, and sea scorpions which rush to defend the vessel during attacks. This has been witnessed several times but always attributed to acts of God in defense of California (at least openly).<br />
<br />
Like all nobles of California, Doña María Xosé carries on her person a vessel of glass & gold containing blood from the Sanguine Saint which she uses in administering the sacrament to her crew. She has secret orders to use this blood to baptise a Demon of the North Wind, if she can find one.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PWCc0D7VHEs/U_mEJHIiQnI/AAAAAAAABhA/Inzn5NH9c6c/s1600/Lev-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PWCc0D7VHEs/U_mEJHIiQnI/AAAAAAAABhA/Inzn5NH9c6c/s1600/Lev-2.jpg" height="167" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097737/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Source</a>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Demon from Sbibeda' Bay</b></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
Fighting Man 6, Magic-User 10<br />
<br />
Not even other Lords of the Sea dare approach Sbibeda' Bay, for it is a haunted place. The creature that dwells there is of a composite nature, a storm of teeth and limbs reaching and flailing in all directions. Any man or swimming thing it lays hand to is absorbed directly into its anatomy, raw material to repair its ever-stinking, ever-rotting flesh.<br />
<br />
It is unknown why the beast does not stray from its domain for none will brave the awful cacophony of fish-, eel-, and man-howls raised as one approaches Sbibeda' Bay's center.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Affiliated Beasts</b></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dPoKjTyrYkc/U_lC2WUgZNI/AAAAAAAABf4/BlI7AYZE3_w/s1600/crab_skeletons_by_christianpearce-d3b3sbz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dPoKjTyrYkc/U_lC2WUgZNI/AAAAAAAABf4/BlI7AYZE3_w/s1600/crab_skeletons_by_christianpearce-d3b3sbz.jpg" height="320" width="273" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://christianpearce.blogspot.com/2011/03/crab-skeletons.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Source</a>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Mesqwiwsu</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Number Appearing: </b>3-18</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Armor Class: </b>5 [14]</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Hit Dice: </b>½</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Attack:</b> Weapon or claw (1d3)</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Special:</b> None</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Move: </b>9</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Morale: </b>6</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Intelligence: </b>Child-like</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Alignment: </b>Chaos</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Size: </b>Small (2' tall)</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Though their shape is obviously that of a large crab, there is no mistaking the Mesqwiwsu for true crustaceans. Their skin is rough and red-brown with patches of sparse black hair, their claws are crudely articulated and tipped with blunt human nails, and their smashed little faces are piteous and manlike. Mesqwiwsu hides are thick and tough, but once cracked open few things man or beast would eat the vile meat found inside.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The Mesqwiwsu are the children of Mesqwuyahl, the Mother of Crabs, and it is assumed that they follow her orders. They are not civilized, living as they do in crude shoreline burrows instead of proper houses, and they make no crafts. There is an order to them, though. They are often sighted ranging about in small bands, hiding on beaches to awkwardly spy on men, lurking near man-made fortifications with faces a mask of stupefied awe, or conducting bold and seemingly planned raids on human villages.<br />
<br />
When given opportunity, they steal from men the food they cannot themselves catch, art objects they cannot make, and tools they cannot use. It is not properly known what they do with the objects they steal - these are rarely found in their burrows on the occasions people have taken to rooting them out.<br />
<br />
Mesqwiwsu are stupid and cannot speak. It is unknown whether they understand men at all, but they do know enough to grab pathetic, stick-like weapons and ambush those they outnumber or surprise.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Treasure: </b>Crude spears and clubs. Occasionally, stolen man-made objects.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8obw7xhidRI/U_zBqzFNkGI/AAAAAAAABmM/hOQKHSdDUYU/s1600/dn20993-2_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8obw7xhidRI/U_zBqzFNkGI/AAAAAAAABmM/hOQKHSdDUYU/s1600/dn20993-2_500.jpg" height="320" width="267" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn20993-zoologger-slime-killer-hagfish-feasts-in-rotten-flesh.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Source</a>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Hagfish, giant</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Number Appearing: </b>1-3</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Armor Class: </b>7 [12]</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Hit Dice: </b>6-8</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Attack:</b> Bite (2d6)</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Special:</b> Slime, coil</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Move: </b>18 swim</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Morale: </b>7</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Intelligence: </b>Low Animal</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Alignment: </b>None</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Size: </b>Huge (16'-24' long)</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
None can say what massive beasts rotting on the ocean floor give sustenance to these behemoth coils of tooth and slime. They are monstrous creatures, dull and blunt, knowing only the desire to feed and burrow into warm flesh.<br />
<br />
Giant hagfish spend most of their time in the deep ocean but will at the end of their lives swim upriver to breed in inland lakes, sending thousands of tiny wriggling spawn slithering back down to the sea in the following seasons after fattening on their parents' corpses. They are never otherwise seen at the surface except when summoned by Sea Born.<br />
<br />
When encountered by Straitsmen the giant hagfish is generally not specifically looking for a meal, but they will regardless take any opportunity to rip flesh from bone with their pulsating, toothy face. When distressed they have the ability to choke water with slime through a violent thrashing motion. The effect of this is identical to casting a <i>slow</i> spell over all water within 60 feet. The hagfish itself is immune to the effects.<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Treasure: </b>Giant hagfish slime makes for an excellent fixative in potions, either reducing cost by half or doubling duration. Unfortunately, this renders the potion so disgusting as to be nearly impossible to choke down - the imbiber has only a 2 in 6 chance (modified by Constitution) to successfully consume a significant quantity each round, losing time on failure to gagging and retching.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PC6DirXqqsQ/U_p5IA6K73I/AAAAAAAABkY/4QX_YL0NSnY/s1600/sea_witch_by_jsmarantz-d5f8zxa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PC6DirXqqsQ/U_p5IA6K73I/AAAAAAAABkY/4QX_YL0NSnY/s1600/sea_witch_by_jsmarantz-d5f8zxa.jpg" height="320" width="226" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://jsmarantz.deviantart.com/art/Sea-Witch-327944926" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Source</a>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Sea Born Degenerate</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Number Appearing: </b>2-12</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Armor Class: </b>7 [12]</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Hit Dice: </b>2</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Attack:</b> Weapon or other (see below)</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Special:</b> Blessed aspect, water breathing, 60ft underwater vision</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Move: </b>9, 6 Swim</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Morale: </b>7</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Intelligence: </b>Human-like</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Alignment: </b>Chaos</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Size: </b>Medium (5'-6' tall)</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Shambling from driftwood shacks on forlorn beaches come various creeping things who play at being men.<br />
<br />
Some wretched few cannot even do this much. Through thickness of blood or simple violent disposition they willingly rip at their flesh until they are naught but savage brutes, wandering reavers that prey on whatever they happen across until they can be put down.<br />
<br />
Sea Born degenerates as a whole are highly variable in appearance, but those that appear together tend to be excessively interrelated, so a basic commonality of form may be assumed. For each individual or related group of individuals, roll on the table below d3 times to determine their general aspect (or the full Blessing of the Sea table, if so inclined):<br />
<br />
Blessed Aspect Table (2d6)<br />
2: Sea Slug - Rubbery skin in brilliant colors. Glows polychromatic, half damage from blunt attacks.<br />
3: Sea Anemone - Bright stinging tentacles in patches on body. Paralytic sting (d3 rounds).<br />
4: Squid - Barbed hunting tentacles. Blunt striking attack with 10ft reach.<br />
5: Eel - Elongated neck and wide-hinged, serrated jaw. Bite attack with +1 damage.<br />
6: Octopus - Limbs split into purple tentacles. +4 to grapples.<br />
7: Fish - Bulging features and webbed claws. Claw attack, Swim speed 12.<br />
8: Crab - Chitinous claws and armor. Claw attack, AC 5.<br />
9: Shark - Entirely too many teeth. Bite attack with +2 damage.<br />
10: Shrimp - Bristling facial antennae. Tiny paddling claws lining stomach. -2 to be surprised, Swim speed 9.<br />
11: Jellyfish - Translucent pustules and trailing filaments cover skin. Paralytic touch (d3 rounds).<br />
12: Worm - Elongated, rubbery body and limbs. Half damage from blunt attacks.<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Treasure: </b>Whatever was held by their last victim. Occasionally, copper & electrum ornaments.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
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<div style="text-align: left;">
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<div style="text-align: right;">
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</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jjkna3m0O74/U_qj99BwWQI/AAAAAAAABlA/03Uatveppfw/s1600/mixopterusright.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jjkna3m0O74/U_qj99BwWQI/AAAAAAAABlA/03Uatveppfw/s1600/mixopterusright.png" height="400" width="143" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.geol.umd.edu/~jmerck/bsci392/lecture25/lecture25.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Source</a>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Sea Scorpion, giant</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Number Appearing: </b>1-6</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Armor Class: </b>3 [16]</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Hit Dice: </b>3</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Attack:</b> Sting (1d6)</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Special:</b> Poison</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Move: </b>9 / 9 swim</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Morale: </b>7</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Intelligence: </b>Low Animal</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Alignment: </b>None</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Size: </b>Medium (4-5' long)</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
These creatures normally inhabit only the deepest trenches, but something in recent years has been calling them closer to the surface. Now they are an uncommon but not unheard-of sight scavenging among the detritus on beaches or clinging to derelicts & corpses floating on the sea.<br />
<br />
A giant sea scorpion's tail contains a powerful venom. On each hit, the target must make a Saving Throw or take 2d6 addition points of poison damage and suffer violent hallucinations of abyssal depths for d3 rounds.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Treasure: </b>If a giant sea scorpion is unable to discharge its venom, the poison is still intact and may be retained if the stinger is removed properly. This requires a turn of effort and has a 4 in 6 chance of success, modified by Dexterity. The stinger will function as a poisoned dagger for d3 hits, but the poison is halved in potency (1d6 additional damage only, hallucinate for 1 round).</div>
</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4684706459804289214.post-86128758628685423722013-05-05T16:02:00.002-07:002015-08-09T05:35:38.655-07:00They growl<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-y9edCrrjVVc/UYLqw6tZqfI/AAAAAAAABUE/n8AgMxwIq-I/s1600/Dog_devouring_the_remains_of_killed_soldiers%252C_Hankow.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="205" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-y9edCrrjVVc/UYLqw6tZqfI/AAAAAAAABUE/n8AgMxwIq-I/s400/Dog_devouring_the_remains_of_killed_soldiers%252C_Hankow.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption">A man and a dog</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: start;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>Each day the dogs chased the women from the house, and each day they dug clams on the beach. This was all the food they could get; the canoes were gone!</i></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: start;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>But Kwsultseda was smart. On the first day she hid in the house under a blanket, but the dogs found her. On the second day she hid on the roof peeping through the smokehole, but the dogs found her. On the third day she hid in the woods, but a bear chased her out. Then the dogs found her.</i></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: start;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>On the fourth day she draped her hat and cloak over a log on the beach and crept back to the house. The dogs, falling for this trick, did not find her. S</i><i>he peered through the houseplanks and saw: they took off their skins! These were not dogs but men! They danced about the fire singing of their triumph over these people.</i></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: start;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>Kwsultseda had to act quickly. She ran into the house and tossed the skins into the fire. "We will not labor while you dance and do nothing!" The men-that-were-dogs just smiled. They knew they could accomplish many great things with the help of clever women such as these.</i></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: start;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>That is the origin of our people.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
- S'aququlu, traditional</div>
</blockquote>
</div>
<br />
As the only domestic animal with long history in the Straits, dogs occupy a curious and liminal position. There is an uncomfortable closeness to their nature, not human but neither truly animal. They are kept close, considered loyal but foolish, helpful but annoying - the best of allies, but mediocre as people go.<br />
<br />
Taking the life of a dog is a grave act, nearly as serious as killing a slave (in fact this can be measured directly, as the average slave is worth only 2 or 3 promising dogs in trade). Only the death of prominent nobles leads to deliberate dog-killing under common circumstances, as important men should be allowed the privilege of their pets in the lands of the dead.<br />
<br />
But there are situations where this custom (and many others) are broken, as starvation and spirit-madness push men to many unreasonable acts.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2bYR5Qy8eIs/VcdCmikSosI/AAAAAAAADhQ/61t_O72ujOU/s1600/coyote-stubblefield-1200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="247" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2bYR5Qy8eIs/VcdCmikSosI/AAAAAAAADhQ/61t_O72ujOU/s400/coyote-stubblefield-1200.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I am also a dog. You may trust me with your life.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Rules Additions</b></span><br />
<b><u>Warrior Societies</u>: </b>Any non-spellcaster may join a society if the society agrees to initiate them. Beneficial powers are gained at Veteran (1), Hero (4), and Superhero (8) levels, but some restrictions are also incurred. Society members must relinquish all other spirit-derived powers and relationships. Each society also practices certain rituals which can occasionally be accessed for a fee.<br />
<br />
Notable warrior societies include:<br />
<ul>
<li>the <b>Growling Cult</b>, whose members spit blood and devour dogs, detailed below;</li>
<li>the <b>Society of Twins</b>, which all twins and other abnormal children must join;</li>
<li>the <b>Dance of the Cannibal Wind</b>, which tames men infected by man-eating spirits;</li>
<li>the <b>Disciples of the Quartz God</b>, who speak in thunder;</li>
<li>the <b>Gravetenders' Society</b>, which calls forth ghosts;</li>
<li>the <b>War-Makers' Society</b>, whose members summon the sisiutl and feel no pain; and</li>
<li>the <b>Skeleton Dancers</b>, who learn secrets from the dead and run on treetops.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<b><u>Sorcery</u>: </b>Sorcery is a form of magic practicable by any character, though spellcasters receive some bonuses. Formulas typically consist of a physical ritual and a song or chant that goes with it. Each formula lists success chance and duration of effect. Regardless of success or failure, a formula may not be reattempted until the standard duration elapses.<br />
<div>
<br />
<b><u>Disease</u>: </b>Diseases are defined by an exposure condition, and incubation period, and several stages through which the diseased will progress. Infected characters move from one stage to the next, typically by failing a saving throw, incurring the conditions described therein unless healed by magic or ritual.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Warrior Societies</b></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: right;">
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</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KutQvecS4wg/VcdGcfNVE9I/AAAAAAAADhg/ilPU_rk3F1A/s1600/eat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KutQvecS4wg/VcdGcfNVE9I/AAAAAAAADhg/ilPU_rk3F1A/s320/eat.jpg" width="241" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hunger. <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3317522/" rel="nofollow">Source</a>.</td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">The Growling Cult</span></b></div>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>I travel the world in search of food</i></div>
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<i>My face is ghastly pale</i></div>
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<i>I travel the world in search of flesh</i></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>Now I am going to eat</i></div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>I travel the world in search of heads</i></div>
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<i>The growling is my song</i></div>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="text-align: right;">
- Sx̌ǝnim power chant</div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span>
<span style="text-align: left;">The Straits is an abundant place, but not every winter passes as planned. When stores run low and food is scarce, only a few options remain. While endurance of privation is considered a great virtue, starvation is not among them. The dogs are eaten first, before more desperate action is taken. It is during these times when Sx̌ǝnim is closest to us. He gets in the bones, giving men the strength to do many disturbing things. Sometimes he stays there. This is the foundation of the Growling Cult.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="text-align: left;">Sx̌ǝnim, called Dog-Eater or Growling One, is master of rabid animals, temporary madness, starvation, and the pain of birth. He appears in many forms: a huge ebon-skinned man, a blood-soaked infant, a rabid and mange-plagued dog, or a pool of black water high in the mountains. His approach is signaled by flocks of ducks, out of season and moving in unison.</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">Members of the cult are known to spit blood from their mouths, track the wounded unerringly, and reincarnate the dead. People hide their dogs when the cultists practice their magic, for it is said they will devour them.</span><br />
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<b><u>Restrictions</u></b><br />
Before using any of their powers, cultists must darken their faces with charcoal.<br />
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Cultists are unsettling to dogs and have difficulty freely associating with them, incurring a steady stream of barks and growls when approaching close (-4 reaction penalty, -2 to dog's morale).<br />
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If using any cult powers in the presence of a dog, a cultist must make a saving throw or be overcome with the desire to immediately seize and devour it.<br />
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In order to maintain their power, once each winter a cultist must devour a dog deliberately, eating its flesh and scattering its intestines, in front of witnesses.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UTAx-SJBcTE/VccqysJUMvI/AAAAAAAADf8/5Mee6FAxKPE/s1600/Koryak_underground_houses_with_sacrificed_dogs_edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="271" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UTAx-SJBcTE/VccqysJUMvI/AAAAAAAADf8/5Mee6FAxKPE/s400/Koryak_underground_houses_with_sacrificed_dogs_edit.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A desperate harvest.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b><u>Benefits</u></b><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Veterans</b> (level 1) of the cult can smell freshly spilled blood to a distance of 60 feet, allowing them to track the wounded by scent alone (4 in 6 chance). They may identify blood by taste (4 in 6 chance) if they have previously eaten raw flesh of similar kind. Rabid animals (even dogs) will also not bite a member of the cult.<br />
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<b>Heroes</b> (level 4) of the cult may craft a <i>Skinchanger's Hide</i> enabling them to take the form of an oversized black dog. This requires a ritual 1 hour in length during which the cultist must kill a dog with bare hands, devouring the flesh but saving the hide. Regardless of initial coloration, the ritual stains the hide black.<br />
<br />
Skinchanging takes 1 round. Worn items transform but not those carried in the hands. The cultist takes on most physical qualities and special abilities of a dog (see <b><i>Straits Hunting Dog</i></b> below) except hit dice and qualities derived therefrom (including hit points, attack bonus, and saving throws), which are retained. They also deal standard damage (1d6).<br />
<br />
Cultists may only have one <i>Skinchanger's Hide</i> created at a time, crafting a replacement only if the old is destroyed, not merely lost or stolen. If the cultist dies, the hide rots in 2d6 hours. A stolen hide may only be used by a non-cultist at great risk, requiring a saving throw at each transformation to avoid losing one's personality in the mind of a dog. Only a skilled tamanous man can recover one from this fate.</div>
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<b>Superheroes</b> (level 8) of the cult may spit blood from their mouths at will. This may be performed with such ferocity that onlookers must make an immediate morale check. Using this ability deals 1d6 points of damage to the cultist. By expending an additional d6 hit points, the cultist can ensure that the morale check be made at a -2 penalty. Only beings of human-like intellect and disposition are affected, and only those of hit dice up to half the cultist's level. Junior members of the cult imitate this feat by cutting their own tongues, to no magical effect.<br />
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As a <b>Group Ritual </b>the cult may reincarnate the dead into the unborn child of a pregnant woman. This requires a ceremony performed over the course of 4 nights. The soul to be reincarnated must be a deceased individual personally known to one present. On completion of the ritual, birth follows within a matter of hours. Hiring the cult for this service requires 1d6×100gp in goods gifted to the performers.<br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">
The cult may also perform a greater version of this ritual, spoken of only in whispers, for which they expect 1d6×1000gp in gifts. The major difference is that, at the end of the ritual, the reincarnated person is a fully grown adult. At that point they must immediately make a saving throw. On a failure, they've been infected by <span style="text-align: right;">Sx̌ǝnim and must immediately be initiated into the cult (losing any other spirit allies) or succumb to a slow wasting. If the save results in a natural 1, then it is not the individual's soul returned at all but instead a hunger spirit from the lands of the dead (see <i style="font-weight: bold;">Scewelh</i> below). Physical attributes must be re-rolled, but mental statistics are generally the same. It is recommended that petitioners provide a pregnant dog for this version of the ritual, as the result is messy.</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Affiliated Beasts</b></span>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Scewelh</b></span><br />
<b>Number Appearing: </b>1-6<br />
<b>Armor Class: </b>6 [13]<br />
<b>Hit Dice: </b>2<br />
<b>Attack:</b> Claw or bite (1d6)<br />
<b>Special:</b> Undead (immune to sleep, charm), track, silent<br />
<b>Move: </b>9<br />
<b>Morale: </b>7<br />
<b>Intelligence: </b>Human-like<br />
<b>Alignment: </b>Chaos<br />
<b>Size: </b>Medium (5'-6' tall)<br />
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If a burial is done improperly, sometimes the hunger forgets to die. In rare occasions it can even get a man up again, walking him around in search of food. Most villages feed their dead to prevent this, cultivating entire families who dedicate their lives to performing this important work. But when a village dies and the dead are forgotten, the ghosts grow restless in their graves.<br />
<br />
A scewelh wears the corpse of a man, withered and black, but its nature is as a spirit of hunger, and that is the only desire it knows. It eats anything recognizable as food but is especially drawn to the flesh of men and dogs, which are pursued relentlessly, easily tracked by their scent. If pursuing a party of men, there is a 4 in 6 chance of success. If the party contains a dog, this rises to 5 in 6. Crossing water reduces these to 2 in 6 and 3 in 6, respectively.<br />
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Scewelhs make no noise whatsoever except when leaping to attack, at which point their throat emits a low groaning. This grants them a 4 in 6 chance to surprise. Dogs, keen of nose, negate this advantage, but must make an immediate morale check on scenting a scewelh.<br />
<br />
In desperate moments a scewelh may speak with the voice it had in life (or a novel one if it was never alive to begin with), but this they do only to deceive, hoping to lure prey into traps and artifices that deliver them helpless into rending claws.<br />
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<b>Treasure: </b>Decaying grave goods.<br />
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<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pdw_pLX3V_Q/UWJJJZfsDCI/AAAAAAAABJ0/j2U4txKXsoM/s1600/8489268469_caaae673b1_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pdw_pLX3V_Q/UWJJJZfsDCI/AAAAAAAABJ0/j2U4txKXsoM/s320/8489268469_caaae673b1_o.jpg" width="217" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Skinchanger, Dog-Eater</b></span><br />
<b>Number Appearing: </b>1-6<br />
<b>Armor Class: </b>By armor, or<b> </b>7 [12] as a dog<br />
<b>Hit Dice: </b>3<br />
<b>Attack:</b> Weapon, or bite (1d6)<br />
<b>Special:</b> Skinchange, track, unsettle dogs<br />
<b>Move: </b>12, or 18<br />
<b>Morale: </b>8<br />
<b>Intelligence: </b>Human-like<br />
<b>Alignment: </b>Chaos<br />
<b>Size: </b>Medium (5'-6' tall), or Small (2' at shoulder)<br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">
Dog-eating skinchangers are men with the ability to transform into large, black dogs. Nearly all dog-eaters are members of the Growling Cult, though certain isolated families come by Sx̌ǝnim's gifts independently. This entry assumes beings of this latter type.<br />
<br />
As monsters, dog-eaters have all the benefits and restrictions of Growling Cultists of Hero (level 4) status (see <i style="font-weight: bold;">The Growling Cult</i> above). They track the wounded by scent and identify blood by taste (4 in 6 chance), skinchange freely from man to dog in a round with their <i>Skinchanger's Hides</i>, and unsettle any dog that can scent them (-4 reaction penalty, -2 to dog's morale).</div>
<br />
Independent dog-eaters, lacking the structure provided by the cult, are prone to violent bouts of hunger. It burns through them, driving them to prey on village inhabitants, human and dog both. Encounters with these individuals generally begin amiable as the dog-eater tries to lure victims into letting down their guard, but this quickly sours as murderous urges erode their patience. They will eventually attack most dogs and many men, hoping to devour. Even when not hungry a dog-eater exhibits traits natives commonly attribute to dogs - they are uncouth, impatient, and overly forward.<br />
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<b>Treasure: </b>Dog-eaters are men and will have the possessions of such, though not all objects will change form with them. A dog-eater's <i>Skinchanger's Hide</i> will decay if its owner dies, but may be stolen if they live. Such an item is as listed under <b><i>The Growling Cult</i></b>.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Straits Hunting Dog</b></span><br />
<b>Number Appearing: </b>1, or 2-12<br />
<b>Armor Class: </b>7 [12]<br />
<b>Hit Dice: </b>1<br />
<b>Attack:</b> Bite (1d3)<br />
<b>Special:</b> None, or Rabies<br />
<b>Move: </b>18<br />
<b>Morale: 7</b><br />
<b>Intelligence: </b>High animal<br />
<b>Alignment: </b>None<br />
<b>Size: </b>Small (19"-22" at shoulder)<br />
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Hunting dogs are found in every village of the Straits, wandering between the plank houses or kenneled in small huts of sticks and mats. They are of medium size and a generally excitable disposition. Their coloration is dark, short black fur shading into lighter browns about the paws, face, and belly. This look has something of the coyote about it, and it is commonly thought by Company men that they are crossed with such.<br />
<br />
Hunting dogs are used to herd deer, elk, and mountain goats into sites of ambush at clearings and shorelines. Especially notable to Company observers is their tendency to drive deer into lakes, where men waiting in canoes can club them to death or simply hold them underwater with paddles until they drown, allow them to hunt without leaving their vessels.<br />
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Hunting dogs have a 2 in 6 chance to notice hidden or invisible creatures by sound and scent (provided the creature has a scent), though how they relate this information depends on training. They may track a known scent with a 5 in 6 rate of success if the trail is less than an hour old, -1 per hour thereafter. The base chance is reduced to 3 in 6 when crossing water wider than a small stream. Most hunting dogs are only trained to recognize deer and elk, though 1 in 6 will also know the scent of mountain goat or black bear. There are also certain magics that can improve these capabilities (see <i style="font-weight: bold;">Formula Magic</i> below)<br />
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When encountered in the wild, there is a decent (1 in 6) chance that any solitary dog encountered will be rabid. Such individuals have a -6 reaction penalty (Growling Cultists excepted), and their bite has the chance to infect their target with rabies (see <i style="font-weight: bold;">Rabies</i> below).<br />
<br />
Purchasing a trained straits hunting dog costs 20-70gp in goods, depending on local circumstance. Untrained dogs (who recognize no scent and have difficulty tracking) can be had for much less, as they largely just loiter about the villages and are claimed by few.<br />
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<b>Treasure: </b>None.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Koloshi Bear Dog</b></span><br />
<b>Number Appearing: </b>2, 4, or 6<br />
<b>Armor Class: </b>6 [13]<br />
<b>Hit Dice: </b>½<br />
<b>Attack:</b> Bite (1d2)<br />
<b>Special:</b> Harrying<br />
<b>Move: </b>15<br />
<b>Morale: </b>10<br />
<b>Intelligence: </b>High animal<br />
<b>Alignment: </b>None<br />
<b>Size: </b>Small (14"-17" at shoulder)<br />
<br />
These small, compact dogs are renowned throughout the Straits for their aid in the hunting of bears. Working in teams of two or more, the dogs can harass a bear to such a point of confused exhaustion that hunters can easily end them with spears and arrows. It is uncommon even for a single dog to lose its life in this endeavor, though it happens from time to time.<br />
<br />
Koloshi bear dogs are a fairly distinct-looking breed for the Straits: their short, wiry hair is black to blue-black, with white patches on the chest and paws, and their tail an absurd puff. In mood they are known for long periods of somewhat eerie calm, to the point that bear hunters can carry them long distances in sacks before releasing them at the sighting of print or spoor. They do not bark, seeming only capable of a peculiar yodel when annoyed or distressed.<br />
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Bear dogs are trained only in the hunting of bears, and then only from signs of recent passage. They are light and large of paw, enabling them to run on top of well-established snow, a significant advantage over their prey in the winter months.<br />
<br />
When in combat with a large foe, a Koloshi bear dog will yowl and feint rather than attacking. This allows them to defend as AC 4 in such situations if alone, AC 2 if cooperating with at least one other bear dog. Bears are well known for falling for this trick; the reaction of other large carnivores is unknown.<br />
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Koloshi bear dogs are typically purchased in pairs, costing 20-120gp in goods.<br />
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<b>Treasure: </b>None.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Kulamish Wool Dog</b></span><br />
<b>Number Appearing: </b>3-18<br />
<b>Armor Class: </b>8 [11]<br />
<b>Hit Dice: </b>½<br />
<b>Attack:</b> Bite (1d2)<br />
<b>Special:</b> None, or Rabies<br />
<b>Move: </b>15<br />
<b>Morale: </b>6<br />
<b>Intelligence: </b>High animal<br />
<b>Alignment: </b>None<br />
<b>Size: </b>Small (16"-19" at shoulder)<br />
<br />
The Kulamish peoples are renowned for their weaving, which can only be accomplished due to the development of wool dogs, the exclusive property of their women. These are kept well away from other dogs to prevent the dilution of either blood, usually inside people's houses, though large packs deposited on islands or fenced in caves are occasionally seen.<br />
<br />
Wool dogs have thickly curled fur which peels off as a single piece when sheared. This fleece, mixed with mountain goat wool and duck's down, is spun into a yarn that is used to weave blankets, clothing, and other articles.<br />
<br />
Wool dogs are used for no other purpose other than for wool and as pets, being largely useless in all other capacities. Wool dogs kept in the house are as a rule not rabid, and those further removed only rarely so.<br />
<br />
A freshly sheared wool dog costs 20-40gp in goods.<br />
<br />
<b>Treasure: </b>Viable wool.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FQLbtaoj4Z8/Vccq6JmTrvI/AAAAAAAADgE/HMY0swm2_YQ/s1600/85a41ed695a77e9f72ead04f85836d88.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="247" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FQLbtaoj4Z8/Vccq6JmTrvI/AAAAAAAADgE/HMY0swm2_YQ/s400/85a41ed695a77e9f72ead04f85836d88.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wool preparation.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Sorcery</b></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Dog Training Formulas</b></span><br />
Any of the following might be learned from native dog breeders, though they are generally only offered on a maximally positive reaction roll, and even then at significant cost (1d6×100gp). It is important to note that formulas are considered property by natives, and the right to use is sold separately from actual ownership, which is inherited.<br />
<br />
<b><u>Tracking</u> </b>(5 in 6, 1d6 days)<b>: </b>This formula greatly increases a dog's effectiveness (+2 in 6) at tracking a particular animal, or enables them to track animals of a type they have not been extensively trained for. The performer must locate (or create) a rotting corpse of the type of animal that the dog is desired to track and then gather the flies that feed on its body. These are mashed into a paste which is diluted with water and poured into the dog's nose while singing incantations.<br />
<br />
<b><u>Sighting</u> </b>(3 in 6, 1d6 days)<b>: </b>This formula enables a dog to see enemies approaching from long distances. When acting as a sentry, surprise chance for the dog is reduced to 1 in 20 unless the opponent is invisible, enabling the dog to sound the alarm well before the enemy is near. The magic requires the head of a fishhawk recently slain, boiled in water and sung over until a thick scum is formed, which must then be smeared over the dog's face.<br />
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<b><u>Surefootedness</u> </b>(4 in 6, 3d6 days)<b>: </b>This formula blesses a dog with the surefootedness of the mountain goat, allowing them to run up steep escarpments as well as stairs and certain angled ladders without penalty. Additionally the dog is allowed to roll twice and take the better for any saving throw against falling due to unsure footing. To grant this, a foot cut from a mountain goat kid must be heated over a fire (but do not cook the blood) accompanied by rhythmic chanting. Blood from the foot is then smeared on the bottom of the dog's paws. This must be performed 4 days in a row before the magic takes effect.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Diseases</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Rabies</b></span><br />
<b>Exposure:</b>The bite of an infected animal provokes a Saving Throw.<br />
<b>Incubation: </b>Every 4d6 days make another save or advance to stage 1.<br />
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<b>Stage 1: </b>Flu-like symptoms - fever, headache, and general tiredness. -1 penalty on all d6 rolls, -2 to all d20 rolls. Every 24 hours make another save or advance to stage 2.<br />
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<b>Stage 2: </b>Insomnia, anxiety, agitation, confusion, hallucinations, hypersalivation, difficulty swallowing. Hydrophobia - throat closes up when presented with water, must save or experience violent convulsions. Unpredictable behavior - in every new situation, roll a d6 to determine behavior: 1-3 Fearful, 4-5 Aggressive (attack with tooth & claw), 6 Unbalanced (save or fall over). Every 24 hours make another save or advance to stage 3.<br />
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<b>Stage 3: </b>Save or die. A successful save indicates the victim has fallen into a coma. Continue to save or die every 24 hours.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4684706459804289214.post-15890313628589153562013-04-03T07:00:00.000-07:002013-05-04T23:17:20.784-07:00There are holes in the lakes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Underworld</td></tr>
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<i>A young man from up north came to our village once. He did not believe our lake had a hole. His power was Loon, who dives everywhere in the ocean and doesn't fear the water. He needs Otter to use those holes! We saw him reach the bottom, but he never came back up.</i></blockquote>
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<i>His family found his body later, out on the saltwater. Our cousins there told us this. He didn't have a head. His head was gone! But there was an image of Loon tattooed on his chest, and that is how they knew him. It is a long way from our lake to the saltwater. But there is a hole in the lake.</i><br />
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-Kulamish, traditional</div>
</blockquote>
<br />
Of the routes to the Underworld, the various holes in the lakes and oceans are by far the quickest. These occur in the deepest, darkest places, beyond the reach of most divers (though the otters and their allies are said to be capable of the journey). From these hidden paths many strange and dangerous things escape into the world, bursting forth onto the surface to harass the villages from an Underworld that teems with bizarre life.<br />
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Occasionally these routes are forced to the surface through unknown means, heralded by thunderous cracking. Those investigating the openings describe descending into a world of labyrinthine tunnels where corals, pipeworms, and sponges loom over wandering fishes and molluscs illumed by the blooming of luminescent polyps, and fish wearing the shape of men contend with empty ghosts for scraps of clamshell and warmth. Many of these creatures drift by on unseen currents exactly as aquatic beings; others walk the tunnels unencumbered as if in open air.<br />
<br />
Perhaps more dangerous are the persistent illusions that haunt the minds of foreign beings here - phantoms of dead loved ones that dance just at the edge of sight, walls that twist and move as one watches, and masses of chittering crustaceans staring back from the dark. These figments are found in every direction and are only dispelled by bright, terrestrial light; the soft glow of the Underworld's bioluminescent inhabitants seems only to reinforce their reality. Eventually, they could drive one mad.<br />
<br />
There are inexplicable structures in those depths as well. Lurking within bizarre configurations of rooms carved from the rock are jealous spirits who squat over caches of precious metals - coins, tools, and weapons of forgotten make. These beings are not relatives, so natives think it only right that their copper be taken and put to better use, and every Company man knows that Made Beaver tokens (good only at the Company store) do not spend nearly so well as captured gold.<br />
<br />
And somewhere beyond or within those tunnels are realms and sub-realms even more distant from human experience. Exploring deeply, one might stumble upon the Grave of the Orcas, the manses of great spirits like Copper-Maker and Tiyulhabaxad, or the innumerable Fading Caverns of the Dead where ghosts wait to forget the living.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Special Rules of the Underworld</span></b></div>
<b><u>Movement</u>:</b> All creatures both native to the Underworld and moving primarily by an innate swim speed (or that are otherwise water-adapted) may move, breath, and perform all other functions within the Underworld as if underwater. PCs and other humanoid creatures (those with the capacity to walk normally) react to the Underworld as if it were air-filled.<br />
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<b><u>Vision</u>:</b> PCs and their allies cannot see properly unless possessed of a bright, terrestrial light source. Characters without access to proper light must make a saving throw each turn in order to act without reference to figments and mirages. Denizens of the Underworld suffer no such restriction, seeing without penalty.<br />
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<b><u>Space</u>:</b> Distance traveled in the Underworld does not necessarily correlate to the same distance above. Portals to the surface 100 feet apart below could open into lakes separated by dozens of miles.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Some Denizens of the Upper Tunnels</b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Dzegwa</span></b><br />
<b>Number Appearing: </b>2-12<br />
<b>Armor Class: </b>6 [13]<br />
<b>Hit Dice: </b>1+1<br />
<b>Attack:</b> Claws (1d6)<br />
<b>Special:</b> None<br />
<b>Move: </b>9 / 12 swim<br />
<b>Morale: </b>7<br />
<b>Size: </b>Medium (6' tall)<br />
<b>Alignment: </b>Chaos<br />
<b>Intelligence: </b>Man-like<br />
<br />
Dzegwa are rubbery fish-people native to the Underworld. They appear as tall, muscular humanoids with fine scales, wide mouths filled with rows of sharp teeth, and full heads of long, perpetually-wet black hair. Their hands and feet are webbed and possess digits tipped with vicious claws.<br />
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Dzegwa are well-known thieves of food and man-made objects, lurking just beneath the surface of seas and lakes near the villages of men. Especially reviled is their habit of kidnapping human children to the Underworld, where through a series of unfathomable tortures they transform them into waqwiwsu. Dzegwa speak with voices that are distressingly human, but only in older languages of local provenance.<br />
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Dzegwa attack with tooth and claw; they carry no other weapons. Generally they prefer to thieving and fleeing to standing and fighting. If feeling overconfident or forced into a fight, they will always attempt to hide and ambush, where possible.<br />
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<b>Treasure: </b>Stolen tools, clothing, and shiny objects.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fQk1BGx_tTY/UVVEhjr9jlI/AAAAAAAABGE/3vWtE7ZqNEE/s1600/the_loveland_frog_by_black_dragon85-d45m2w6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fQk1BGx_tTY/UVVEhjr9jlI/AAAAAAAABGE/3vWtE7ZqNEE/s320/the_loveland_frog_by_black_dragon85-d45m2w6.jpg" width="256" /></a><b><span style="font-size: large;">Waqwiwsu</span></b><br />
<b>Number Appearing: </b>3-18<br />
<b>Armor Class: </b>7 [12]<br />
<b>Hit Dice: </b>½<br />
<b>Attack:</b> Brawl (1d6)<br />
<b>Special:</b> Leap<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<b>Move: </b>6 / 9 swim<br />
<b>Morale: </b>6<br />
<b>Size: </b>Small (3'-4' tall)<br />
<b>Alignment: </b>Chaos<br />
<b>Intelligence: </b>Child-like<br />
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Children kidnapped by the dzegwa are transformed into these bloated, frog-like beings through unknown processes. Waqwiwsu retain the childish stature of their previous lives but increase greatly in strength, girth, and viciousness, having a profound hatred for all life (especially their own). Their skin is green or green-black, their eyes dead and unblinking. Waqwiwsu cannot speak, emitting naught but horrible croaking, and give only the vaguest inclination that they can understand speech.<br />
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When a waqwiwsu is slain, black mud pours from its wounds and orifices, slowly returning it to a bruised but human shape. This reversion can also be achieved by hanging a waqwiwsu upside-down and allowing this mud to slowly dribble from its mouth, but that process is equally fatal. There is no known way to recover alive the child a waqwiwsu once was.<br />
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Waqwiwsu typically attack by battering enemies with their swollen fists, but in times of distress or agitation they may use their froggy legs to effect a great leap. This allows an immediate melee attack with +2 to hit from distances of up to 30 feet. Unfortunately, due to their unstable, bloated nature, the waqwiwsu must then make a saving throw or experience an immediate dermal rupture, showering all near the point of impact with a horrific spray of mud and guts. This occurs regardless of whether or not the leap attack hits; it is always fatal.<br />
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<b>Treasure: </b>The occasional coin, bauble, or trinket mixed in with their mud.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Rotting Ghost</b></span><br />
<b>Number Appearing: </b>2-12<br />
<b>Armor Class: </b>7 [12]<br />
<b>Hit Dice: </b>1<br />
<b>Attacks: </b>Grasp (1d6 cold) or strike (1d6)<br />
<b>Special:</b> Undead (immune to sleep, charm)<br />
<b>Move: </b>9<br />
<b>Morale: </b>7<br />
<b>Size: </b>Medium (5'-6' tall)<br />
<b>Alignment: </b>Chaos<br />
<b>Intelligence: </b>Child-like<br />
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The path to the realm of the dead is long and torturous. The most pathetic of souls - those with no sense of responsibility or honor - simply choose not to go there. These wretched corpses loiter around the Underworld ambushing living beings in an attempt steal their warmth, the only relief they can achieve from the pain of being dead.<br />
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Rotting ghosts appear as decomposing human bodies with oversized wooden prosthetics compensating for limbs and features that are gradually rotting away. Such pieces are of variable quality, though most are painted with bright colors in comic imitation of life. Whether through vanity, self-denial, or some external impulse, all rotting ghosts are compelled to make these hopeless repairs. Eventually their bodies wither away completely, allowing them to shame their families no more.<br />
<br />
In combat, rotting ghosts attempt to scratch with their nails and bite with their teeth. While this causes little physical damage, each contact allows them to steal a little of the innate warmth emanating from their target's soul. Those without proper extremities instead club their opponents with giant wooden hands, needing to bludgeon prey into submission before any warmth can be extracted.<br />
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Rotting ghosts still possessed of their vocal apparatus may speak the languages they knew in life, though most only mutter and mumble paranoid and self-obsessed delusions. Those without mouths or tongues just moan unintelligibly. In either case, they are difficult to reason with. If it is brought up, they refuse to acknowledge that their bodies are not whole.<br />
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<b>Treasure: </b>Various wooden extremities of questionable artistic merit.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Ripworm, small</b></span><br />
<b>Number Appearing: </b>2-12<br />
<b>Armor Class: </b>6 [13]<br />
<b>Hit Dice: </b>½<br />
<b>Attack:</b> Rasp (1d6)<br />
<b>Special:</b> Grapple<br />
<b>Move: </b>24 swim<br />
<b>Morale: </b>7<br />
<b>Size: </b>Small (3'-4' long)<br />
<b>Alignment: </b>None<br />
<b>Intelligence: </b>Non-intelligent<br />
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Ripworms are segmented invertebrate predators that undulate through the Underworld with great rapidity. The entire length of their brightly colored, flexible bodies are lined with rough bristles used as both weapon and locomotive aid.<br />
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Ripworms feed on most of the fleshly beings of the Underworld. Though they possess mouths, ripworms attack by rasping flesh off their prey using the chitinous protrusions on their sides, scraping along the edge of their target's bodies as they rush past. A ripworm that scores a natural 20 for its attack roll enters a grapple with its target, wrapping its body around them and dealing damage automatically each turn thereafter. While in a grapple, a ripworm may not be targeted by weapons without endangering its victim (equal chance of hitting either). Any character may spend a round removing the ripworm, though accomplishing this with bare hands involves taking 1 point of damage in the process.<br />
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<b>Treasure: </b>A properly prepared ripworm corpse (requires leatherworking tools and expertise) forms a flexible rasp or improvised saw that can be used to cut and shape wood or soft stone.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Drift Anemone</b></span><br />
<b>Number Appearing: </b>1-3<br />
<b>Armor Class: </b>7 [12]<br />
<b>Hit Dice: </b>2+2<br />
<b>Attack: </b>Sting (Paralysis)<br />
<b>Special: </b>Multi-attack, Paralysis, Digest<br />
<b>Move: </b>6 swim<br />
<b>Morale: </b>10<br />
<b>Size: </b>Small (3'-4' diameter)<br />
<b>Alignment: </b>None<br />
<b>Intelligence: </b>Non-intelligent<br />
<br />
A drift anemone resembles a floating mass of smooth, stretchy tentacles, all probing about for food. Concealed within the mass is a rubbery, polypous body that propels the anemone through rippling contractions. They are of variable coloration, though bright blues, reds, and oranges are most common.<br />
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Drift anemones may attack all opponents within melee reach each round, probing outwards with dozens of writhing tendrils. Any creature hit by the anemone's sting must save or be paralyzed for 2d6 turns. Creatures significantly larger than human size gain a +4 bonus on this save.<br />
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When there are no more moving targets nearby, the anemone will attempt to digest the nearest victim. To do this the anemone must effectively turn itself inside-out, folding its polyp around the prey with tentacles tucked inside. A feeding drift anemone thus resembles a lumpy figure enclosed in a thick, fleshy sack. The process of enveloping a man-sized creature takes 1 turn. Once within, the prey takes 1 point of damage per round until dead and is only fully consumed after 1-3 turns. Only bones are expelled when the anemone returns to its active state.<br />
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<b>Treasure: </b>A character with an Intelligence or Dexterity of 15+ may spend a turn attempting to extract a paralytic agent from a drift anemone corpse (1 in 6 chance of success). This will be a solid piece of tentacle, not a liquid, and it becomes useless within a week. Only 1-3 viable samples may be acquired per corpse.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Pulse Jelly</b></span><br />
<b>Number Appearing: </b>4-24<br />
<b>Armor Class: </b>7 [12]<br />
<b>Hit Dice: </b>1 hit point<br />
<b>Attack:</b> Sting (1 point)<br />
<b>Special:</b> Bioluminescent flash<br />
<b>Move: </b>12 swim<br />
<b>Morale: </b>5<br />
<b>Size: </b>Tiny (1' across)<br />
<b>Alignment: </b>None<br />
<b>Intelligence: </b>Non-intelligent<br />
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Pulse jellies are one of the more common Underworld lifeforms, feeding off the smaller crustaceans and fishes and providing food to larger organisms in turn. Their translucent, bell-shaped bodies give off a slight iridescent glow as their pulsating motions propel them through the Underworld.<br />
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Pulse jellies are mostly harmless, being generally non-aggressive towards larger beings. Contact with their tendrils does provoke a sting, but they are rarely incited to attack on their own. Their true danger lies in their ability to produce blinding flashes of light when spooked. Pulse jellies can usually be bypassed if one is careful - a turn of slow movement allows a 4 in 6 chance of sneaking through a group of them - but any sudden motion or loud noises will trigger their flash. All seeing creatures within 60 feet of such a flash are blinded for 2d6 rounds (a successful save halves the duration). Additionally, flashes occurring in non-enclosed spaces open to the tunnels immediately provoke 1-3 wandering monster checks.<br />
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<b>Treasure: </b>A character with an Intelligence or Dexterity of 15+ may spend a turn attempting to fashion a crude light source from a pulse jelly corpse, provided its blinding flash was not used recently (4 in 6 chance of success). This requires taking 1 point of damage unless sturdy gloves are used. Light given off is equivalent to a torch and lasts for 2d6 turns. A character with similar scores may instead attempt to construct a flash bomb from the corpse (1 in 6 chance of success), though such a contrivance would need to be triggered by hand and will only work if used within 2d6 turns.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Abbreviated Stat Blocks</b></span><br />
<b><u>Dzegwa</u> </b>(AL C, HD 1+1, AC 6 [13], MV 9 / 12s, ML 7)<b>: </b>Rubbery fish-people that steal children. Attack with claws.<br />
<b><u>Waqwiwsu</u> </b>(AL C, HD ½, AC 7 [12], MV 6 / 9s, ML 6)<b>: </b>Kidnapped children turned into bloated frog monsters. Leaping brawlers. Leak out mud on death. 30' leap attack (+2 hit, save or explode).<br />
<b><u>Rotting Ghost</u> </b>(AL C, HD 1, AC 7 [12], MV 9, ML 7)<b>: </b>Pathetic corpses who carve sub-par wooden replacement parts to hide their rotting flesh. Grasp steals warmth <i>or</i> clubs with wooden hands. Undead.<br />
<b><u>Ripworm, small</u> </b>(AL N, HD ½, AC 6 [13], MV 24s, ML )<b>: </b>Horrifyingly fast, swimming worm that rasps off flesh with spines. 3'-4' long. Grapples on natural 20 (auto damage each turn, removing deals 1 damage).<br />
<b><u>Drift Anemone</u> </b>(AL N, HD 2+2, AC 7 [12], MV 6s, ML )<b>: </b>Floating mass of tentacles that shoot paralytic darts (no damage, save or paralyzed 2d6 turns). Attacks all in melee range each round. 1 turn to engulf paralyzed prey (1 damage per round, digest in 1-3 turns).<br />
<b><u>Pulse Jelly</u> </b>(AL N, HD 1, AC 7 [12], MV 12s, ML )<b>: </b>Bioluminescent jellyfish. Sting deals 1 damage. Flash blinds 2d6 rounds & provokes 1-3 wandering monster checks (save for half duration, 1 turn allows 4 in 6 chance to sneak around).Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4684706459804289214.post-69305818265115178252013-03-27T10:46:00.000-07:002013-03-27T10:46:00.749-07:00Background Material<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Connecting the Mer de l'Ouest to the Pacific are the myriad Straits of Anián. These worm their way between those little-known islands of the westmost frontier, from La Isla California up past Nova Albion and Fusang all the way to the frozen edge of Grand Alakshak itself. In every direction sounds and inlets creep up the landscape to wash upon the roots of cedars and firs, which themselves hold back hungry spirits, ruins ancient and obscure, and organizations of men unknown to the Western mind.</div>
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To the natives of these lands of copper and rain, all waters are merely arms of the Xwulge, that life-giving sea that sets their ways and provides for all their needs. Their canoes have flitted from village to village throughout the region since the beginning of time, when in ages long past men traveled the sky to converse with stars, and Changers walked the earth.</div>
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And of course there is the Company, those brave adventurers ranging through unknown lands in search of wealth and opportunity. The Bostons have their designs and ambitions, but the Company was here first. Forts operate all throughout the Anián District bringing in voyageurs, laborers, and traders from across the Empire, not just stalwart Canadiens but Kanakas, Haudenosaunee, and Anicinàpe as well, with proud Georgemen steering the course. They came at first for the furs - beaver, otter, bear, and other more exotic beasts - but there are rumors of gold and blue jade washing down the rivers from remote mountains, leading many to proclaim that lost Mu has been found, though few truly believe in such obvious fantasies. Regardless, many now join Company ranks with ambitions far beyond the trade.</div>
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While there are certainly riches to be had, savage intelligences older than man lurk in the depths of those ancient forests, many of which would like nothing more than to snatch up a wayward Company man to devour or abuse for other nefarious purpose: Fever Woman; the Dog-Eater; sasquatches, stick-men, and kushtakas; the Cannibal Wind; sea-wolves and left-handed bears; and many, many more bizarre and baleful things, each slavering for naïve flesh.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com