[Cryptworld] The Month Of Things: Screaming Skull

A Caterwauling Cranium for Cryptworld

SCREAMING SKULL

STR: NA --- WPR: 8 (120)
DEX: NA --- PER: 3(45)
AGL: NA --- PCN: 6 (90)
STA: NA --- PWR: 130
ATT: 1/* --- WND: 0*
MV:  NA

Experience: 1,000

A screaming skull is a form of ghost (Cryptworld rule book, page 60) that remains tethered to the last remnant of its former self -- its severed skull. (The skull can be said to be "haunted" by the restless spirit.) The creature has a supernatural attraction for a specific location that held great meaning to it during its life, usually a beloved home or residence, although it could also be a favorite club, a friend's house, etc. In death, the spirit has a need to be anchored to that location for all eternity, and it will bring down great vengeance on those who dare to remove it from its favorite "haunt." Those who reside at the location usually have inherited the skull along with instructions to always keep the skull at hand lest it voice its hellish displeasure.

There are two kinds of screaming skulls that could be encountered: passive and active.

Passive screaming skulls are satisfied with their existence as long as they remain within the confines of their preferred haunt. These skulls prefer to be placed on public display, for example, resting in the center of a dining room table as a macabre centerpiece or sitting on a fireplace mantle for all to see. (To keep the peace, the skull's owner allows this grim relic to remain on display.) If the screaming skull is ever removed from the confines of its haunt, the skull will begin wailing and screaming at random intervals soon after being removed. This terrifying caterwauling usually terrorizes the thief into returning the object. However, if the skull is not returned to its former residence within the first 24 hours, it will lash out at the person who removed it with its Shriek of the Accursed power. It will continue to use this power once a day against its kidnapper until that person is dead or until it is returned. If the person who removed the screaming skull dies before they can return the grisly artifact, the screaming skull will suddenly "reappear" at its proper haunt within the hour.

Active screaming skulls are angry that they have not crossed over and horrified that they remain locked into their vessel. These screaming skulls truly do "haunt" their preferred locations by their constant wailing and moaning. The amount of noise the screaming skull will produce varies: some will constantly whimper and cry without stopping, whereas others will scream and shriek once every couple of weeks for a few ear-splitting moments before going silent again. These screaming skulls must also remain in their preferred haunt, although they are not as picky when it comes to their location. Their owners have been known to seal them behind brick walls, hide them in closets and desk drawers, or tuck them away in steamer trunks in the basement or attic. Although the constant caterwauling can be lessened with these methods, it can never be completely silenced. As with the passive skulls, an active skull will attack anyone who removes it -- usually the location's owner, now desperate for any respite from the shrieking. The screaming skull will curse the victim with its Shriek of the Accursed before it suddenly reappears at its proper haunt. (It will not wait for the victim's death, as it simply wants to return home.)

Screaming skulls cannot be attacked in the typical fashion. Any blows visited upon the skull will be ineffective as the skull can reform itself even from catastrophic damage. The only way to destroy the screaming skull is to give the residing spirit rest by rejoining its skull with the rest of its body. But even if the location of the body is known, the skull will not allow itself to be removed form the premises without attacking. Usually the best course of action in dealing with a screaming skull is to leave it alone.

Screaming Skull Powers

Shriek of the Accursed: When the screaming skull uses this power, it opens its jaw as wide as it can and releases a soul-shattering scream of anger, fear, and anguish. All within hearing range must make a fear check on column 6 and suffer the results of the terrifying wail. The person who removed the skull that the skull has specifically targeted will also hear the shriek, regardless of where they are in relation to the skull's location. (Even if they have thrown the skull into a well and driven off, they will hear the skull's shriek as if the skull were beside them.) The targeted victim will immediately take Medium Damage as per a successful Armed Combat Result (2d10 x 2 STA and three Wounds). Finally, upon hearing the shriek of the accursed for the first time, the target victim's LUCK score will drop to 0 permanently. This is usually enough to prompt the remover into returning the skull to its rightful location as quickly as possible.

[Cryptworld] The Month Of Things: Strix

An Avian Abattoir for Cryptworld

STRIX

STR: 5 (75) --- WPR: 3 (45)
DEX: 5 (75) --- PER: NA
AGL: 7 (105) --- PCN: 7 (105)
STA: 4 (60) --- PWR: NA
ATT: 3/90% --- WND: 14
MV:  L 75 F 225 (L 75† when human)

Experience: 1,000

A strix is a lycanthropic “were-raptor” that takes the form of a half-man/half-bird of prey. During the period of a new moon, the strix – which typically resembles a human -- will transform into the hybrid man-bird thing in 3d10 rounds. It will retain this form for the duration of the new moon’s phase. (The strix will usually make arrangements while human to explain away the 3-day absence – a sudden illness, away on vacation, on a business trip, etc.)

In its monstrous form, the strix’s bird-half typically resembles a hawk, vulture, or owl, although other forms of bird are possible. (A strix cannot fully transform into a bird of prey.) The strix sprouts large wings enabling it to fly with ease. Its hands and feet become razor-sharp talons, and its head transforms into that of its avian species. A strix is able to see equally well during the night as it does during the day, making it particularly dangerous during the new moon phase. The strix usually attacks from the air during a moonless night, letting loose with an ear-piecing shriek as it drops from the sky onto its prey. It will claw and tear at its victim with its talons and beak, rending the victim as it feeds. If a victim survives a strix attack, they must make a WIL save or they will inherit the curse, becoming a strix at the next new moon phase.

A strix in either of its forms regains Stamina as if one column higher. It heals 2 Wounds with each day of rest; 4 if receiving medical treatment. Just as with werewolves (Cryptworld rule book, page 72), silver bullets deal +5 Wound boxes of damage with any successful attack. In its human form, a strix will seek out and live at the highest point in the area – a mountain ridge, a big city high rise, a chain of hills, etc.

[Cryptworld] The Month Of Things: Bloody Bones

A Gruesome Ghoul  for Cryptworld

BLOODY BONES

STR: 4 (60) --- WPR: 3 (45)
DEX: 3 (45) --- PER: 3 (45)
AGL: 3 (45) --- PCN: 3 (45)
STA: 6 (90) --- PWR: NA
ATT: 1/53% --- WND: 15
MV:  L 75†

Experience: 700

A bloody bones appears as a skeletal creature covered in blood and gore that glistens wetly. Loose strips of muscle and tendon hang from its skeletal body, and a pair of lidless eyes glare from its eye sockets. Although it could be mistaken for a skeleton or zombie, a bloody bones is much worse.

A bloody bones is form of The Created (Cryptworld rule book, page 56). Although constructed from bones, flesh, and tissue as though it were a composite man, the bloody bones is brought to life through magical means, usually an arcane ritual or deal made with demonic forces. One animated, the bloody bones is locked into servitude of the one who created it. The bloody bones will obey the first order given to it by its creator. (This request is usually one of murderous revenge.) Once its task is completed, however, the hold its master had is broken, and the bloody bones regains its free will. Since it was brought to life to cause terror, it continues in this vein once freed.

A free-willed bloody bones sows mayhem, terror, and discord, delighting in the fear its visage causes. Its favorite victims are children, teasing and terrorizing them for weeks and months at a time. To enhance the fear caused, the bloody bones allows its prey to catch fleeting glimpses every few days, appearing at a distance or at a window. It may torment a cherished pet, threaten to harm the child's parents, or commit acts of deranged mayhem that only the "chosen" child witnesses. Sightings of a bloody bones is usually attributed by children to "the boogeyman," which is another of the bloody bones' many other identifiers. Since it keeps itself well-hidden during this tortuous time, players may have to set a trap of sorts to bring the roaming bloody bones out into the open.

A bloody bones attacks through the use of its bony claws and teeth, savagely biting and rending its victim (treat as armed combat). A bloody bones takes normal Stamina and Wound damage from physical attacks. Once it has been taken to zero Wounds, the bloody bones collapses in a bloody heap to the ground. The creature will reform in 1 hour unless its bones are sprinkled with holy water to purge the blasphemous magicks that initially formed the thing.

[Cryptworld] The Month Of Things: Carnivorous Swarm

An Insectoid Threat  for Cryptworld

CARNIVOROUS SWARM

STR: 4 (60) --- WPR: NA
DEX: NA --- PER: NA
AGL: 3 (45) --- PCN: 3 (45)
STA: 4 (60) --- PWR: NA
ATT: 1/53% --- WND: 0*
MV:  L 100   F 200 (if applicable)

Experience: 750

A carnivorous swarm is a massive collection of flesh-eating insects driven into a berserk feeding frenzy. A carnivorous swarm can be triggered by any number of factors: exposure to mutagenic toxins or radiation, control by some nefarious outside force, or simply "nature runs amok".  Fortunately, a carnivorous swarm isn't an intelligent force, as the mass moves upon insectile instinct alone. However, due to the nature of the threat, the carnivorous swarm is very difficult to escape or hide from -- and deadly if it engulfs its prey.

The CM should first roll 1d10 to determine what insect makes up the carnivorous swarm. (* denotes flying insects.)

1. Ants
2. Beetles
3. Centipedes
4. Cockroaches
5. Spiders
6. Flies*
7. Locusts*
8. Mantis*
9. Mosquitos*
10. Wasps/Hornets*

Upon first seeing a carnivorous swarm, it will appear as a darkened mass flowing over and engulfing every surface. If the carnivorous swarm is made up of flying insects, it will appear as a quickly moving black cloud. A carnivorous swarm has only one purpose -- to feed upon anything and anyone it encounters. The vermin making up the carnivorous swarm will eat anything -- plant or animal -- swarming over the hapless victim and stripping them down to bones in minutes. (The victim may die quickly of suffocation before being consumed -- if they're lucky.) If a carnivorous swarm is made up of centipedes, spiders, or wasps/hornets, these insects will use their natural poisonous venom to kill their prey. The CM should roll 1d10 to determine the poison lethality of the carnivorous swarm and have the PC roll a poison check upon any successful attack to determine the outcome.

Since the carnivorous swarm is a mass of individual insects, the thing does not take Wound damage from any attack. If a carnivorous swarm is taken to 0 STA, the individual insects making up the swarm will scatter in various directions, losing cohesion and no longer swarming as a mass. A carnivorous swarm takes half-damage from any ranged projectile weapon as well as bladed handheld weapons, and takes full STA damage from any attack made with a bludgeoning weapon, as well as from fire or cold. A land-based carnivorous swarm is unable to cross a body of water, although flying swarms are unaffected. It is left to the CM to determine if the carnivorous swarm takes damage from any water-based attack.

[Cryptworld] October Is "The Month Of Cryptworld THINGs!"

In October, CRYPTWORLD fans, fiends, and minions will enjoy a ton of support for Pacesetter's horror RPG! Here are just a few preliminary peeks at what's rising from the grave in the next 30 days!

** Monsters Macabre -- the new CRYPTWORLD supplement -- will be available for purchase by the general public in October! New things, new rules, and new adventures await inside the 64-page book, which will be available in electronic PDF, paperback, and hardback. Kickstarter supporters and reviewers have great things to say about the newest addition to the CRYPTWORLD line, so be sure to watch for announcements of its availability!

** Every Saturday in October here at The Savage AfterWorld, we'll unveil a deadly new thing ready for use in your horror-fueled CRYPTWORLD campaigns! And with five Saturdays in the month, that means five new cryptids will be unleashed! (And there just may be some"thing" extra crawling out on October 31st!)

** Want to play CRYPTWORLD with me in person? Then sign up for one of my games being run at Ohio's Con on the Cob from October 15-18 and Michigan's U-Con Gaming Convention from November 20-22. The games I'm running throughout the season include:

CON ON THE COB EVENTS

Condition Critical -- Dr. Howard Eastman has called a press conference at his remote research facility to announce a medical breakthrough that will “eradicate human illness and suffering forever.” But, what if the cure proves to be worse than the disease?
Unquenchable -- Three days ago, a group of hunters failed to return from their annual deer hunt. Your team has been brought in to assist in the search. But there seems to be an undercurrent of unease amongst the searchers. Is there something sinister lurking in the forest?

U-CON EVENTS

Wasted -- It's a raucous Saturday night at "Sweet Oblivion," the roadhouse on the outskirts of town. But this night of revelry will turn to horror when Death stops in for a nightcap. Can you survive The Night of The Living Dead (Drunk)?

** And finally, I've been working on a new Pacesetter-related project that will be unveiled in October. No announcements yet, but I'll leave you with this teaser image...