Possessed by Unholy Fire

Hi people! Thanks for using the rating-poll! It gives me some idea of what works... for you! I'm updating earlier than I expected, so the rating is now for the Myraclion. Have a nice weekend, and stay out of trouble. GHOST!!!



≡MYRACLION≡




------GENERAL-----------------------------------------
CATEGORY: Undead
TERRAIN: Catacombs and crypts
FOOD: Spirits and souls
AGGRESSION: High
SIZE: 13 feet (390 cm) long with tail
NUMBERS: 1


------CHARACTERISTICS-----------------------------
STRENGTH: 12-18
AGILITY: 12-18
ENDURANCE: - (see 'Powers')
INTELLIGENCE: 3-6
MENTAL RESILIENCE: 3-18
CHARM: 2-4
(If stats of a human ranges from 3 to 18)

SPEED: Flying (eagle x 0,1)
(Multiple is times human speed)

MAGIC POWER: 3-18
(Ranges from 0-100)

HIT POINTS: 18-24
(If a human commoner has about 11 hit points)


------PROTECTION-------------------------------------
AVERAGE: 1
BODY: 2
BACK: 0
HEAD: 2
TAIL: 1
TENTACLES: 2
(If Full Plate Armour is 10)

When in material form, the Myraclion is covered in an amphibian-like skin, which is highly flexible and gives only minor protection. Its back is softer still and very vulnerable to injury. Enchanted weapons or arms forged from silver are required to cause harm to the Myraclion. The creature can turn from ethereal to material form in a single round, but once a physical revelation it needs at least ten rounds to return to a fully spectral state.


------ATTACKS/DAMAGE---------------------------
1 FLAMING TAIL: 1–6 (+ unholy flame, see 'Powers')
8-12 TENTACLES: 1–3 (+ unholy flame, see 'Powers')
(If a Long Sword causes 1-8 points of damage)

The Myraclioin favours its tail when attacking, and uses the many short tentacles only when it deals with unarmed prey, or defending itself against several opponents at once.


------POWERS/EFFECT-------------------------------
UNHOLY FLAME: The searing fire of the Myraclion, which burns red at the end of every tentacle, can cause great physical harm, but also bites into the soul energy of those touched by its evil. The unholy fire is twice as hot as any normal flame, and causes 2-12 points of fire damage at touch. In addition to this it drains the victim of energy. The drainage causes a temporary 1-4 point reduction in Strength, Endurance, and Mental resilience, lasting 6-12 rounds. Half of these points are immediately added to the Myraclion hit points (but not beyond its maximum). The rest goes to energize its fire. The victim must complete a successful saving throw for each of these characteristics, or the loss will last another 1-2 weeks. Each following touch will cause additional harm and require new saving throws. A severe failure (5% chance) with these throws causes a permanent 1 point reduction in the respective characteristic. Good clerics, rangers, druids, and similar character classes are less prone to the Unholy Flame and should be offered a bonus to these throws depending on level/experience. Holy robes, magical armors, and spells may offer various degrees of protection, but typical charms vs fire are insufficient. When fully saturated, the Myraclion can stay in physical form for about forty-two hours, before the flame fades. As long as the flame burns, it doesn't get tired.

POSSESSION: If any characteristic is drained completely by the burning touch of the Myraclion, the victim collapses. When that happens the unholy force of the ghost gains access to the soul of the victim and possesses it. As the afflicted person regains consciousness nothing special can be sensed or noticed, but henceforth whenever on the brink of death, such a possessed being will start glowing with a ghostly fire, and by touching other life-forms he or she may use the power of drainage to regain lost energy and hit points. By fueling the flame the possessed being may be fully restored. The flame will burn until the person calms down, and it will not return until the possessed one is once more acutely weakened and faces the risk of dying. Every time this flame is revived the carrier risks losing control to it. A simple saving throw vs mental resilience should be performed each time the flame flares into power, with a penalty of 1-2 points added for every time the fire is awakened. At first failure the victim is completely lost to the flame, and is no longer in control of the body. He or she is now fully a slave to the unholy fire and - unless a serious high-level exorcism is performed - a permanent tool and extension of the Myraclion ego.



------DESCRIPTION------------------------------------
The Myraclion is a Ghost – the soul of a dead being trapped in the material plane. In a warped body, reflecting its sorry state, it feeds on the life force of the living to energize short periods of materialization. The Myraclion transforms the soul energy of its victims into an unholy flame which upholds its physical body and grants it the power of drainage. The flame of the Myraclion is the source of its existence. When the flame is extinguished, the Myraclion is destroyed.

The back of the creature is flat, like the slimy belly of a slug. It attaches itself to the roofs or misty floors of crypts and catacombs. There it can remain in spectral form, for decades of stillness, to preserve energy. The flame is kept a tiny spark as the Myraclion hopes for new careless victims to move within range. With every fresh kill, new unholy vigor is added to the flame and power of the ghost.

The only way to release a Myraclion from its spiritual entrapment is to starve or kill it. Only silver or magic will cause it harm. Weapons of steel enter the undead flesh of the creature, but cannot touch the reddish fire – its blood. Severed tentacles swiftly grow out anew and the physical body will re-materialize as long as the flame remains.

A Myraclion keeps underground, but when food is scarce the ghost may embark on night-time hunts, to find fresh souls to deplete of energy. On such raids it seeks civilization and easy victims, but may be tempted to attack big, when restored to power. Inns, brothels, and other places of late hour activity have been known to attract undesired attention. Though able to fly, Myraclions always keep a low altitude, fearful of soaring into the immaterial heights. The unholy fire cannot be quenched by rain or water, but the ghosts still avoid it.

No one really knows why some souls end up in the odd and twisted form of the Myraclion. Other ghosts seem to shy away from them. Theories say that extremely self-centered individuals, who thrive on a leach-like exploitation of others, are doomed to this form. When left to themselves at death, they are unable to handle the situation, and throw out spiritual tentacles to connect to some sort of source which can keep them together, prolonging their self-celebration and manifestation.

The Myraclion have lost most of its intelligence and is a highly automated form of hunger and dark rage. It may still moan out its despair and glow with fierce self-proclamation, but the skill to interact intelligibly with the surrounding world is altogether forgotten. Abandoned in the morbid state of undead existence it cares for naught but its own continuation.

© Copyright 2011 - Nicholas Cloister

Tentacles wherever you turn!

Some people love them, some don't. I guess it is pretty easy to throw in some tentacles, rather than properly designed arms and legs. It gives a creepy feel and it looks alien, sort of. I guess I can't do more tentacle creatures in a while, after this one, but as this witch took form, I couldn't help but finishing the idea. There is something with the look of her, and all those snaky shapes that I find attractive, in that dark strange fashion that only heavy metal fans and horror addicts understand... yes, and some RPG-players of course. ; )

I know some people though, who only like draconian reptiles, lion-like predators, and rhino-looking beasts of power. As soon as birds, fish, or amphibians sneak into the picture it turns too creepy or weird for them. For me, these stranger shapes, like the monsters of Hieronymus Bosch, hold an aesthetic mystery that I still find alluring.

Rather sparingly coloured, this image also reminds me of that iconic piece of troll-like enchantment, called 'Tuvstarr', by the Swedish artist John Bauer. LINK
I'm not sure the general crowd here is familiar with his work, but it may very well happen that I was unconsciously inspired by him, as I made this dark reflection of a far more putrid character.
- “Build a bridge out of her!”



≡CHAERIM WITCH≡




------GENERAL-----------------------------------------
CATEGORY: Dark Faerie
TERRAIN: Marshes and swamps
FOOD: Omnivore
AGGRESSION: High
SIZE: 6 feet tall (180 cm)
NUMBERS: 1


------CHARACTERISTICS-----------------------------
STRENGTH: 16-18
AGILITY: 12-14
ENDURANCE: 11-13
INTELLIGENCE: 16-18
MENTAL RESILIENCE: 13-18
CHARM: 2-8
(If stats of a human ranges from 3 to 18)

SPEED: Running x 1, Swimming/Crawling x 3, Climbing x 3
(Multiple is times human speed)

MAGIC POWER: 15 - 35
(Ranges from 0-100)

HIT POINTS: 18 - 24
(If a human commoner has about 11 hit points)


------PROTECTION-------------------------------------
AVERAGE: 2
BODY: 2
TENTACLES: 2
(If Full Plate Armour is 10)

The Chaerim Witch is naked and not very well protected. She relies on her many tentacles and foul magic to keep her body free from harm. The Witch can lose all of her tentacles without damage to her vital organs, and can only be slain through attacks directed towards her main body.


------ATTACKS/DAMAGE---------------------------
10 - 20 TENTACLE LASHES: 2 – 8
(If a Long Sword makes a damage of 1-8)

The many tentacles of the Chaerim can also be used for grappling and squeezing. If caught (normal successful Chaerim attack roll) a victim will suffer 2-8 points of constriction damage every following round (unyielding armour like metal offer protection), which can break ribs and damage internal organs. The victim may free himself through a normal attack to the tentacle (unless weapon arms are trapped), or a saving throw based on strength. If several tentacles are holding the same victim the Witch may chose to tear her enemies apart, and produce 3-12 points of damage per round that way. If hit by 4 or more points of damage in a single round, a tentacle will let go. (If desired, they can be handled as separate entities, all with 6-8 hit points each.)


------POWERS/EFFECT-------------------------------
REPULSIVE STENCH: The Chaerim smell awfully, but they also have the power to wilfully strengthen this stench, and bring it into abominable levels. The perfume of all once crawling, now rotting forms of life, of the mires and bogs of the world, are summoned forth like a sickening musk, through the Witch's filthy glands. The stench spreads quickly and fills an area of 40 x 40 yards (36 x 36 m) within two rounds. This contamination last for twenty rounds and may be summoned once per day. All within the zone of repulsive stench must succeed with continuous saving throws (mental resilience) or instantly run away. If hindered from escaping into the salvation of fresh air the victim will faint. Three successful rolls in a row will make the victim immune, for a while. Holding one's breath will help.

FORCE LYCANTHROPE: The Chaerim Witch likes to keep lycanthropes as company. At the encounter of a lycanthrope, which the Witch recognizes by smell, she will try to force it into service. Through a number of spells and specially designed items of silver, she commonly manages to win them over. If not, she will try any devious means available to her. At any time the Chaerim can force a lycanthrope transformation. The 'were' state lasts until the following morning and can be induced by the Witch any number of days in a row, fully independent of the lunar cycle. The lycanthrope need not be aligned to the Witch for this to happen. Within sight of the Chaerim all lycanthropes transform, whenever she so desires. But they only serve her, if she has won them over.


------DESCRIPTION------------------------------------
In the deep and stale swamps, where no sun-loving creature would go freely, the Chaerim witches build their lairs. From rotten weed, murky branches, webs of great spiders, and mouldy moss, they fashion their dark abodes. In seclusion, they work on cryptic secrets, mixing brews of power, seeking new spells, and scheming new devilry. Only rarely, when they feel ready to fulfil some heinous desire, or try out some new mischief, do they come forth into the world to set their dark plans in motion.

Robed in massive tangles of tentacles, the witches themselves are barely visible. Long strong arms reach out to manoeuvre things in need of nimble fingers, but always, the long snake-like limbs move out before them. Powerful, sinister magic follow the Chaerim about, and they are masters with curses, elixirs and poisons. Toads and frogs live in their mouths and bellies, and they move unhindered through muddy waters, slithering with amphibian grace. Where giant mangrove trees grow, the witches climb effortlessly from root to high branch, with the aid of their many tentacles. Roaming the marshlands with decisive aim, they feed often on their way, swallowing with no great fuss, what most creatures would discard.

There are no male Chaerim. The witches mate with the great black eels of the marshes. Their young look a lot like brown octopus before arms and legs grow out properly. They reach maturity and full witch-hood in their early teens. The Chaerim can become truly old, and they gather new spells and new levels of witch-craft with age. Some are said to be over 500 years old. The witches can't stand each other, and no more than one ever lives in the same swamp. They fight until death to defend their territory.

The connection to lycanthropes is a mystery, but some say that the first witch was an elven maid, transformed and violated by a powerful eel. This dark fate is said to have changed her, and that during the darkest phase of the moon, she would go out naked into the night and perform pagan rituals of shape-shifting. The Chaerim send their lycanthrope servants out into the world to fetch them rare ingredients and to bring back information. Blood, and flesh of many different life forms are common in the unholy recipes of these dark Wiccans. All Chaerim are powerful magic-users, and specialize in spells connected with decay, pestilence, nightmares, and death.



© Copyright 2011 - Nicholas Cloister