Creatures of The Night - Horror Enemies
Creatures of The Night - Horror Enemies
Creatures of The Night - Horror Enemies
TM
the Night
Author: Dean Shomshak
Editor: Bruce Harlick
Cover Art: Starn Cook
Interior Illustration: Greg Smith, Starn Cook
Project Specific Contributions:
Pagemaking & Layout: Blackhawk Typesetting,
John Curtis;
Cover Graphics: Terry K. Amthor;
Art Direction: Jessica Ney-Grimm;
Editorial Contributions: Monte Cook, Maggi Perkins
Special Thanks: Sean P. Fannon for the cool title.
ICE Staff - Sales Manager: Deane Begiebing;
Managing Editor: Coleman Charlton;
President: Peter Fenlon; CEO: Bruce Neidlinger;
Editing, Development, & Production Staff: John Curtis,
Jessica Ney-Grimm;
Sales, Customer Service & Operations Staff: Heike Kubasch;
Shipping Staff: Dave Morris, Daniel Williams.
Creatures of the Nighf' M is Hero Games' trademark for its superhero roleplaying game using the Hero system.
Champions® and Champions, The Super Rolep/aying Game1 M are Hero Games trademarks for its superhero roleplaying game using the Hero System.
Hero System.,.. ls Hero Games' trademark for its roleplaying system. Creatures of the Night© 1993 Hero Games. All rights reserved .
Champions Copyright © 1981 , 1984, 1989 Hero Games. All rights reserved. Hero System Copyright © 1984, 1989 Hero Games. All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying (except Character
Sheets for personal use only), recording, or computerization, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the
Publisher: Iron Crown Enterprises, Inc., P.O. Box 1605, Charlottesville, VA 22902.
Printed in U.S.A., First Printing 1993 STOCK#: 429
Produced & Distributed by Iron Crown Enterprises, Inc.. the exclusive manufacturer of Hero Games. ISBN 1-55806-188-6
Creatures of the Night 0
Introduction ..................................................................... 3 The Monad ..................................................................... 44
Author's Notes .............................................................. 3 Monad Base ........................................................... 46
Horror in Other Hero Products ..................................... 3 Golden Manta ........................................................ 47
The Three Faces of Horror ........................................... 3 Fire Centipede ............. .......................................... 47
Horror in Other Genres ....................... .......................... 4 Three-Eyed Reptile ................................................ 48
Mystic Masters ..................................................... 4 Android Murderbot ............................... .................. 48
Dark Champions ........................ .......................... 4 Black Scorpion Murderbot ..................... ................ .49
Fantasy Hero ....................................................... 4 Servo bot ................................. ................ ................ 50
Star Hero ............................................................. 5 Independent Villains ........ ................ .. .. ..... .................... 51
Justice Inc ............................................................ 5 Archimago .............................................................. 51
Other Genres .............. ......................................... 5 Black Fang ............................................................. 54
How to Do Horror .......................................................... 5 Caiman ................................................................... 56
Devil's Advocates ........................................................... 6 Decay ....................................... .............................. 57
Demonologist .................................................... ....... 8 Dr. Black ................................................................ 59
Apollyon ................................................................. 10 Fearmonger ........................................................... 61
Brother Bone .......................................................... 12 Four Eyes ............................................ ................... 63
Golem ................... .. ......... ......... ..... ........................ 14 Haunt ........................ ............................................. 64
Granny Hex ....................................................... ..... 16 Hell Rider ............................................................... 66
Maze ................................................ ...................... 18 Homonculus ................. ....................... ................... 67
Shadowfire .................................. ........................... 20 Kobold .................................................................... 69
Vilsimbra .............................................. .................. 22 Lady Twilight .......................................................... 71
Mind-Master Complex Remote Units .......................... 24 Other Vampires ..................... ............................. 73
Mind-Master Complex ............................................ 25 Lamplighter .............................. .............................. 74
Major Mind ............................................................. 27 Mrs. Meigs ..... ............................. ........................... 76
Mindwhip ................................................................ 28 Mirrorhead ......................................................... 78
Vandal ....................................................................29 Compass Men .............................................. ...... 79
The Totems ............... ....................................... ............. 30 Ooze ............................ .......................................... 79
Manitou ............................................................. ..... 32 Joseph Otanga ....................................................... 81
Bear .... ................................................................... 34 Rev. Gil Purdue ...................................................... 83
Coyote .................................................................... 35 Razor Girl ..................................... ........................ .. 85
Rattlesnake ........... ................................................. 36 Vulshoth ................................................................. 86
Thunderbird .................... ........................................ 38 Whisper ..................................... ............................. 87
The Great Beast ........... ................................................. 39 Demons ...................... ............... ... ..... ......... .. ..... ... .......... 90
Great Beast ............ ................................................ 39 Mephistopheles ...................................................... 91
Sample Monsters ....................................................... 41 Baphomet ............................................................... 93
Acid Dragon ........................................................... 41 Aratron ................................................................... 94
Manticore ............................................................... 42 Gamygyn .......................... ................................ ...... 95
Spiderhead ......................... .................................... 42 Wrath Demon, Greater ........................................... 96
Battering Ram ........................................................ 43 Wrath Demon , Lesser ............................................ 96
Flying Dog .................................................... .......... 43 Scratchet .................................... ...... ...................... 97
The Satanic Cult Conspiracy ....................................... 98
On Serial Killers ................. ........................................... 99
How To Fight The Unbeatable Foe ............................ 100
0 Creatures of the Night 3
r
( AUTHOR'S NOTES ) HORROR IN OTHER
Why horror? HERO PRODUCTS
That's a valid question. The answer, I think, comes in three
parts. Several of the villains presented elsewhere are suitable for
First, of course, it's an excuse for another Enemies book. horror. From Classic Enemies, Black Paladin and Dark
Aside from helping the nice people at ICE pay their bills, it's Seraph are linked to Satanic forces, and the Slug to
always good to see what sort of villains other people are Lovecraftian horror. The Monster and Leech are properly
making. We all have blind spots, and Enemies books give fearsome monsters. And of course, what mad scientist
GMs a chance to see what they haven't thought of yet. would be better to probe Things Man Was Not Meant to
More seriously, horror presents unusual challenges for Know than Dr. Destroyer? Alien Enemies provides the
GMs and players alike. GMs face the challenge of bringing Spores from Space, the Tyrixx Horde and the Masq, some
fear into a genre where the protagonists are pretty much classic B-Movie monsters from space, and the quasi-
immune to normal harm. Players face the challenge of perils Lovecraftian Arcane. Horror World, in Champions in 3-0,
that perhaps cannot be defeated by a simple brawl-but however, delivers Lovecraftian nameless horrors from be-
which are so evil they must be defeated. Aside from testing yond in the purest form yet seen in a Hero System product.
heroes in unusual ways, horror stories make the heroes Note that one may re-interpret villains not originally meant
shine that much brighter because their foes are that much to be horrific. Take, for instance, everyone's favorite joke
darker. villain, Foxbat. He's crazy; he could do anything, without
And finally, horror stories are fun! It's a weird sort of fun, I warning. And because he thinks he's in a comic book, where
admit, but no weirder than RPGs in general. If you're one of nobody really dies except for unimportant bit-part charac-
those people who knows how fun it is to be scared and would ters, he won't feel the slightest guilt, no matter how atrocious
like to know why, I recommend Stephen King's Oanse his actions. 'What are you so upset about? It's just a story!"
Macabre; nobody knows more about the subject than he And of course, heroes might discover that Foxbat is right.
does.
So for those of you who like adding a little extra fear to your
CHAMPIONS campaign, here is Creatures of the Night. It
can hardly bean exhaustive or definitive guide to superhero
horror adventures, but I have tried to fill it with suitably scary
villains and suggestions on how to use them. Some operate
( THE THREE FACES
OF HORROR )
in tightly-knit groups; others are loners who may only operate Horror has three basic aspects. Villains for horror adven-
with other villains on an ad hoc basis, or not at all. Some are tures can be scary in any of these three ways, and usually
supernatural-demons, sorcerers, slimy unspeakables and more than one.
so on-while others are more "natural" mutants, mad scien- Most obviously, villains can be physically scary. This is the
tists and victims of bizarre accidents. Here are familiar basic Hollywood B-movie sort of horror, with ugly monsters
monsters such as vampires and werewolves, as well as and rotting corpses and slime and gore everywhere. It ain't
enigmatic beings whose origins, powers and motives are high art, but don't knock it: it works. Even the most well-bred
only understood through repeated clashes and careful in- English ghost stories went for the shocker now and then.
vestigation. Another sort of horror comes from what people do, and
Some readers may find some of these villains disturbing or why they do it. Some things, whether as ethereal as demon-
even offensive. In fact, I hope so. By definition, horror deals summoning or as sordidly mundane as rape and murder, just
with things we'd normally rather not face. No magical, aren't done by reasonable people in a reasonable world.
religious or political advocacy is intended. Yes, I have Even most supervillains have motives one can understand,
opinions, and they unavoidably color what I write, (see, for even if they're not nice. After all, who wouldn't like to be rich,
instance, the concluding essays on Satanism and serial or powerful, or to get back at people who have wronged
killers), and I'm not ashamed of them-but I'm not out to them? When deeds or motives become too strange or
convince anyone of anything. I use demons, evil doctors and extreme, however, they become frightening.
Third World dictators, for instance, because they are scary, And what about when the whole world stops being reason-
not because I have any axes to grind about religion, medicine able? We all think we have some idea how the world works.
or international politics. Even in comic books, where the laws of science are a joke,
Welcome to my nightmares. characters can still usually count on the Universe seeming to
Creatures of the Night 0
make sense. If circumstances undercut our sense of reality's campaign. Its power to "possess" people is quite formidable
ground-rules-then what? "The oldest and strongest fear," enough! The Great Beast might k~dnap poor people .to
as the classic horror writer H. P. Lovecraft put it, "is fear of the experiment upon. Black Fang combines an unusual ser!al
unknown." killerwith legal and political intrigue (the hugger- mugQe~w 1th
Demonologist can be changed). Dr. Black was originally
conceived as a street-level villain with thug lackeys. Hell
( HORROR IN OTHER
GENRES J
Rider's six targets for vengeance might be corrupt people
whose wealth and status puts them "above the law." Indeed,
one could adapt Hell Rider into a vigilante hero! Caiman and
the Homunculus are assassins; so, in a weirder way, are
Fearmonger and Whisper. Lady Twilight feeds off the pros-
perity of the city just as she feeds off the blood of itspeople-
MYSTIC MASTERS and she's not necessarily the only vampire to find a niche in
Horror and comic-book sorcerous adventure co-exist un- organized crime. Lovecraftian horrors do not belong on the
easily. Classic Black Magic Horrors like demons and vam- mean streets, but the occasional demon, gargoyle or other,
pires have often appeared as foes of comicbook sorcerers more familiar monster could be an interesting change of
like Or. Strange and Or. Fate. Until recently, however, magic- pace. Just remember that in street-level adventures the
oriented titles were better at delivering four-color thrills than focus should stay on the internal evil of human motivations.
serious horror. Nowadays, publishers are not so restricted, The lower power level of Dark Champions means that
and several fine titles mix horror with heroism in varying GMs might want to reduce the power and defenses ?f s?me
proportions. monsters and villains. Detective work to u ncovermot1vat1ons
In more "straight" horror, magic and the supernatural have and weaknesses becomes even more important than in a
a different style from four-color sorcery. The villains are more four-color campaign. "Achilles Heels" (see "How to Fight the
grotesque in appearance and action. Magic is more tradi- Unbeatable Foe") and indirect attack become vital. The
tional: instead of wiggling their fingers, calling on the Seven Pulverizer's high-caliber bullets just bounce of the demon's
Spheres of Selestar and creating a magical force-blast, hide- but what about the sorcerer cowering behind the
sorcerers draw magic circles in their own blood. The demons bloodstained altar, or the glowing jeweled eyes of the loath-
are more clearly inspired by the lore of ceremonial magic. some idol?
There is as much emphasis on the evil within the human
heart as on supernatural menace. FANTASY HERO
All the magic-oriented villains and monsters in Creatures Horror fits easily into fantasy campaigns as well. What's a
of the Night can be used in Mystic Masters adventures with brawny swordsman without an undead horror to battle in its
few, if any, changes. tomb or an evil sorcerer summoning grotesque minions?
Shel~b and the Black Riders, in Lord Of The Rings, provided
DARK CHAMPIONS moments of chilling terror in the definitive fantasy epic. Even
Horror easily fits into the mean streets of Dark Champions. "funny fantasy" isn't immune: the betentacled denizens of
The gritty world of street vigilantes already ha~ classic h?r.ror the Dungeon Dimensions ooze their way into Terry Pratchett's
elements of sudden death, monstrous appetites. susp1c1on Diskworld novels. And as mentioned, modern-day "urban
and betrayal. Indeed, real urban horrors can put imagined fantasy" slides quite naturally into horror.
grotesqueries to shame. . . . In the standard, quasi-Medieval setting of most fantasy
Case in point: In March of 1992, Colombian police ?1sc~v campaigns, horror tends to be simple and visceral rather
ered a medical murder ring operating out of Free University than subtle and spiritual. The emphasis is clearly on "exter-
in Baranquilla. University guards lured in homeless garbage- nal" evil- monsters, evil sorcerers and the like. Demons
pickers, shot them and sold the cadavers to the medical want to eat your face, not corrupt your society. (Not that
school. For months, the city's garbage-pickers petitioned the "internal" evils of greed, brutality and obsession are absent
police to investigate the disappearance of their fellows, but from fantasy worlds. Quite the opposite: they're often so
the Colombian police cared little what happened to such universal that they've lost any shock value.)
poor people. At last the murderous guards slipped up: a A few Creatures of the Night villains could transfer to
garbage-picker left for dead in the morg~e escaped and heroic fantasy adventures. Most of the Devil's Advocates
staggered, still bleeding, to a nearby police stat10.n. T ~ e could be adapted as evil sorcerers for a Fantasy Hero
ensuing investigation implicated several Free University campaign; with major reduction in power, Archimago be-
staff members and faculty as well as the guards who did the comes a splendid lich . The Great Beast could produce
actual killings. Free University closed its doors, perhaps monsters by alchemy instead of science. Hell R i~ercould be
forever. a fearsome Dark Knight guarding a temple of evil. Monsters
The Free University case shows that one doesn't need of the Elder Gods are too weird and powerful for regular use,
supervillains, black magic or mad scientists to build stark but they could be an apocalyptic horror whose summoning
horror. Indeed, adding a Frankenstein-like mad doctor or a must be averted at all cost.
Satanic cult would practically be a relief. The more fabulous The demons can be used without the slightest alteration.
elements of horror, however, best fit into a street-level Lesser demons give a heroic-level swordsman a good
campaign if they are firmly tied to familiar, human evils. workout without being invincible. Greater demons and lesser
Several Creatures of the Night villains fit neatly into Dark demon lords can challenge whole groups of adventurers.
Champions adventures. The Mind-Master Complex pre- Greater demon lords should only be used against powerful,
sents mind control mystery and paranoia, although its raw experienced groups, or in cases where the heroes have
power should be considerably reduced for a street-level other options besides directly fighting the demon lord.
0 Creatures of the Night
( HOW TO DO HORROR ) salon is run by Satanists! Kindly old Pastor Wiswick at the
Rescue Mission kidnaps runaways for his mutation experi-
ments! The Chamber of Commerce is run by brain-eating
But enough philosophizing. You've got a book full of aliens! You get the idea.
supervillains and monsters, maybe you want to invent a few Finally, as mentioned above, horror goes beyond normal
of your own, and you're wondering how to use them. No villainy in that horror stories deliberately prod our insecuri-
problem. As a GM, you do have to work a little harder to give ties. Some fears are simple and material: fear of spiders,
that thrill of fear to players when their characters are tougher snakes, savage carnivores and other unpleasant creatures;
than the average tank, but there are a few simple guidelines fear of death, mutilation and pain; fear of the dark. Others are
that make it easier. more abstract: fear of loss of control, of betrayal, of insanity,
First, create villains that work around the average hero's of challenge to one's beliefs; and so on. Horror books and
strengths. Unusual attacks such as mental powers, adjust- movies provide valuable inspiration, but the best resource a
ment powers (Drain, Suppress, etc.) NND attacks and Trans- GM has is still his or her own imagination. One of the basic
forms ignore normal defenses. How many heroes have you rules of writing and acting is that if you believe it, your
seen who have bought Power Defense, or Life Support vs. audience will believe it too. The better you can identify what
disease? In the same vein, unusual defenses such as gives you the creeps, the better you can give a vicarious thrill
Desolid or Damage Reduction keep heroes from casually of fear to your players.
6 Creatures of the Night 0
Membership: Demonologist (leader), Apollyon, Brother the man who became Dark Seraph. He transformed Harrison
Bone, Golem, Granny Hex, Maze, Shadowfire, Vilsimbra. into the powerful demi-demon Apollyon. Apollyon suggested
Origin: Behold the Demonologist, a man out to undo five their group's name.
centuries of history. When Granny Hex's divinations told of a great darkness
In the Renaissance, European scholars discovered both enveloping an American city, Demonologist investigated
the magic and the science of the ancient world. Many and found Shadowfire just as that sorcerer's first bid for
scholars pursued both Isaac Newton dabbled in alchemy, godlike power was falling in ruins. The two sorcerers quickly
and the crystal-gazing magus John Dee was also a leading reached an understanding.
mathematician of his day. Finally, when a band of skeletal monks terrorized Ger-
The rational world-view of science prospered and changed many, Demonologist knew almost before the newspapers
the world. Magic degenerated into a mass of nonsensical did. Brother Bone joined the Devil's Advocates after long
verbiage, the province of con men and educated fools. The thought and prayer.
real magic stayed underg round, secretly preserved by ad- Demonologist is still interested in locating sorcerers who
epts who knew the world had passed them by. hate modernity and lack scruples. He hopes the Devil's
In the Twentieth Century, however, new discoveries in Advocates will eventually become a worldwide syndicate of
physics, biology and psychology turned the old clockwork sorcery.
cosmos upside down. There was room for magic once more. Behold the Demonologist, a man out to undo five centuries
And soon after the first superheroes and villains appeared, of history. With his new allies, he just might do it!
adepts like Archimago declared themselves and proclaimed Goals: When Demonologist calls the Devil's Advocates
a Dark Renaissance of magic. together it's either to attack the technological superstructure
Demonologist wanted more than a revival of magic. He of society, or to unleash some terrible supernatural force
fought to make the Dark Renaissance a revolution to end the upon the world. Major projects can affect the entire world.
Machine Age forever. He found he couldn't do it alone, even Smaller groups of Advocates may gather for less grandi-
though he was one of the world's mightiest living wizards. So ose reasons to find a long-lost artifact, steal rare materials
he gathered a group of other malcontented mages to help they need for spells, break allies out of jail, etc.
him. Tactics: Few of the Devil's Advocates are strong fighters but
He knew of witches in the Appalachian Mountains who they enjoy a virtually limitless range of powers. Demonologist
formed a coven that had endured since Colonial times. He therefore relies on misdirection, mobility and multiple lines of
sought out Granny Hex, leader of the coven, and found her attack. Demonologist wants victory, not glory. If he expects
as resentful of the modern world as he was. She joined him superhero interference (and he is never incautious), he will
at once. try to find a way to achieve his goal without fighting superhe-
He read in the newspapers of a criminal who had animated roes directly. If a plan calls for combat, Golem, Apollyon and
statues to rob museums. He broke Upton Frogge (a.k.a. the Shadowfire have the most raw force; if they aren't enough or
Golem) out of jail. Golem was most grateful. Demonologist needs them for other things, summoned de-
Demonologist felt Travis Knapp punch llis way through to mons can do the job.
Earth from his extra-planar exile and tracked him down.
Knapp was insane, but a master of dimension-warping Group Relations: The Devil's Advocates are bound to-
magic. Demonologist had grave doubts about admitting a gether by their common interest in promoting the Dark
Renaissance. Except for missions and research, the mem-
former computer programmer to his group, but Knapp genu-
inely loved magic and genuinely hated the Establishment bers d~n't associate with each other much. It's a very
professional group-sort of a cross between a terrorist cell
he'~ once served. Under the circumstances, Demonologist
decided he could compromise his principles just a little. and a scholarly think-tank.
Knapp became Maze. The chief tension in the group is between Demonologist
Demonologist didn't have to look for Vilsimbra; she found and Apollyon, who hungers for more authority for himself and
him. She was by turns charming, formidable and sympa- more "worldly" power for the group. Apollyon also suspects
thetic. Demonologist saw through her games to her true (and rightly so) that Demonologist isn't fully loyal to the Lords
motives, but he let her join anyway. She found it novel to of Hell. As yet, however, he's not about to attempt mutiny.
interact with others without having a hidden agenda. Demonologist gave Apollyon his powers; Apollyon isn't sure
Demonologist asked Dark Seraph to join, but found him Demonologist couldn't take them away.
insufferable. He decided to make his own version. He found Reputation: The Advocates aren't as notorious as they
really deserve to be. After all, they seek the end of civilization
the right combination of occultism, ruthlessness and des-
peration in Nick Harrison. Demonologist didn't have any as we know it. Along the way they have terrorized whole
elder artifacts to help him, but he knew a lot more than had cities and caused billions of dollars worth of property dam-
0 Creatures of the Night
age. The Advocates, however, don't seek publicity like many villains, such as Dr. Samaine or Nycademos, the Devil's
villains do. What's more, superheroes and worried govern- Advocates stand alone.
ments sometimes help obscure the full truth, fearing public Scenario Use: The Devil's Advocates are an excuse for
panic or rash occult experimentation by the curious. Still, supernatural mayhem on a grand scale. By combining their
most people have figured out that the Devil's Advocates do powers (i.e. making part of their Power Pools be Usable by
weird, horrible things. The UNTIL Supervillain Survey says: Others, or using Aid spells) and investing their headquarters
'They do not negotiate and are seldom distracted from their points in magical "superweapons" (actually massive spells
goals. Do not underestimate them. If their involvement is with hefty limitations), they can do neat stuff like summoning
suspected, take nothing at face value." demonic armies or loathsome Elder Gods.
The Advocates' creepy reputation even extends to most It's best if heroes meet the Devil's Advocates one by one
other villains and criminal agencies. DEMON would like to instead of all at once. (Demonologist might even assemble
get close to the only people who know more about black his team in the course of the campaign. That way, heroes
magic than they do, but Demonologist keeps his distance. and players get a chance to appreciate the individual Advo-
He doesn't trust DEMON; they too seek the Dark Renais- cate styles and how dangerous and devious each one is
sance, but they also use advanced technology. Even though alone. Then, when the heroes have to stop all the Advocates
he knows that the "public" DEMON is just a mask for the working together, they'll appreciate what danger they and
sorcerous real DEMON, he thinks that DEMON's Inner the world are in.
Circle compromises too much. Except for magic-oriented
8 Creatures of the Night 0
100+ Disadvantages
BROTHER BONE
20 1Y2x STUN & BODY from Area Effect physical attacks
10 Enraged when reminded he's dead (11-/11·)
Val Char Cost Combat Stats 20 One-track mind (V Com, Strong)
15 Tries maintaining priestly facade (Com, Strong)
20 STR 10 OCV: 6+ 25 Ignorant or 1he ?nth Century (V Com, Total)
18 DEX 24 DCV:6 10 Wants to kill and reanimate people (Com)
20 CON 20 ECV: 6
20 Susc: 1d6 STUN & BODY from Holy water
15 BODY 10 Phases:4,8, 12 20 Distinctive Features: Skeleton (hard to conceal.
13 INT 3 causes terror)
17 EGO 1 Costs 10 Hunted by Catholic superhero, 8·
20 PAE 10
10 Hunted by Catholic Church, 8-
0 COM -5 Char: 130 Base: 100
15 3d6 Unluck
25 PD 21 + + 92 Villain Bonus
25 ED 21 Powers: 237 Dis ad: 267
3 SPD 2 :: =
8 REC 0 Totals: 337 337 Background: Centuries ago, in a remote monastery in the
40 END 0 Bavarian mountains, a monk named Gerhard found a book
35 STUN 0 of magic stuffed behind a stack of old sermons in the
Cost Powers END
monastery library. The book was written in code but Gerhard
liked solving puzzles. After months of work, he discovered
22 Spellbook Multipower (67 pt pool), OAF (spellbook) spells with names like "Joshua at the Walls of Jericho." "Joys
Gestures & Incantations on Casting, of Solomon," "The Prayer of Lazarus" and "The Tribulations
Extra Time (at least -1/2) of Egypt." Brother Gerhard tried some of these spells and
2u 32 x 50 pt Summon, 1 tum Extra Time(· 1).
was enthralled by the results. He especially liked the tovely
Need supply of bones (-1/2) [Animate Skeletons] 6
2u 32 x 50 pt Summon, 1 turn Extra Times, spirit called by "Joys of Solomon," who swore up and down
Need supply of corpses [Animate Zombies) 6 that she was no demon and what tt1ey did was not sinful.
2u 4d6+ 1 RKA, 1 turn Extra Time, Then the abbot got suspicious and ordered Gerhard con-
Only vs. rigid matter (-1) [Walls of Jericho) 6 fined to his cell. Gerhard realized that the abbot's investiga·
2u 1/2d6 AKA BODY NND [Life Support (Immune to lion could lead to expulsion, excommunication, or worse.
Disease)) (+2), Uncontrolled Continuous (each The abbot must not be allowed to contact the Inquisition!
increment has a Act.14· , or Act. 12- under medical The abbot had confiscated the book, but Gerhard had
care), O END to maintain, Invisible, Sticky on a copied some of it. While the abbot walked in the cloister
Act. 11 • , 1 tum initial Extra Time, 5 hours Extra outside Gerhard's window, Gerhard cast the Sixth Tribula-
Time between increments (-1) [6th Plague (Boils)) 6
tion of Egypt upon him-the plague of boils. 0 n the next day,
2u 2d6 AKA, Area Affect Nonselective Radius Wr),
Indirect (+1/2), 1 phase Extra Time swelling black blotches appeared on the abbot's body, and
[8th Plague (Burning Hail)] 7 a day later the abbot was dead. Two days later, Gerhard
2u 4" radius Darkness vs. Normal/UV vision, managed to talk his way out of his cell.
Personal Immunity, 1/2 END, Then another monk came down with the Black Death.
1 phase Extra Time [9th Plague (Darkness)) 3 Three days later, a third monk caught the disease. Panic
2u 20 STA TK, Area Affect (14" Line),1/2 END, enveloped the monastery. and no one was more frightened
Only to push away water (·1). than Gerhard. Everyone knew the abbot had suspected him
1 turn Extra Time [Part Waters) 3 of sorcery. To al lay suspicions, Gerhard volunteered to tend
2u 6d6 Entangle, DEF 6, blocks normal vision, 1 phase the plague victims.
Extra Time [Fate of Lot's Wife) 6
One night, aftertwo more plague victims had died, Gerhard
2u 6d6 minor Transform Human to speaker of
unknown tongue, heals normally, tried the Prayer of Lazarus. The plague victims stood up and
1 phase Extra Time [Curse of Babel] 6 walked back to their cells. Gerhard hugged himself with joy.
2u 1 x 100 pt Summon Lust Demon, So what if l1is resurrectees still didn't look or smell so good,
1 turn Extra Time [Solomon's Joy] 6 and acted a little ... dazed. He would make everything better.
35 Mind Link x 32, Undead of own creation Strangely, the other monks seemed even more frightened
48 50% Resistant Physical and Energy Damage than before. Gerhard slipped out and used "Joshua at the
Reduction , Not vs. Crushing/Area attacks (·lf.i) Walls of Jericho" to close the pass leading to the monastery
6 Damage Resistance (7 PD/ 5 ED) with landslides. The winter snows had begun; now no one
5 Flash Defense vs. sight group (5) would flee in blind panic, maybe calli ng the Inquisition,
12 Mental Defense (15)
5 Power Defense (5)
keeping Gerhard from making it all better. When monks
30 Full Life Support stopped coming to Gerhard's sickroom, he brought them
20 2 BODY Regeneration/turn there himself. And when his own body started aching and the
black blotches appeared, he knew what to do. He lay in his
Skills own pentacle and recited the Prayer of Lazarus over and
5 KS: Catholicism 12-, Magic 11· av.er as he felt weaker and weaker.. Then suddenly the pain
8 Languages: Native German, accented Latin, English, fell away. Gerhard felt fine. He went to fetch the last of the
French doomed monks.
3, 3 Oratory 13-, Paramedic 12-
2, 3 PS: Monk 11-, Stealth 13-
10 +2 levels w/ Spell Combat
0 Creatures of the Night 13
Val Char Cost Combat Stats Val Char Cost Combat Stats
30+ STA 20 OCV: 5+ 8 STA ·2 OCV: 5
15 DEX 15 DCV: 5 15 DEX 15 DCV: 5
25 CON 30 ECV: 5 13 CON 6 ECV: 5
15+ BODY 10 Phases:3,6,9, 12 10 BODY 0 Phases:4, 8, 12
13 INT 3 13 INT 3
14 EGO 8 Costs 14 EGO 8 Costs
25 PRE 15 13 PRE 3
10 COM 0 Char: 147 Base: 100 10 COM 0 Char: 50 Base: 100
16+ PD 10 + + 2 PD 0 + +
16+ ED 11 Powers: 243 Disad: 290 3 ED 0 Power s: 140 Disad: 90
4 SPD 15 = = 3 SPO 5 =
15 REC 8 Totals: 390 390 8 REC 6 Totals: 190 190
50 END 0 30 END 2
45+ STUN 2 25 STUN 4
Cost Powers END Cost Powers END
9 EC-Statue Body, Fixed by statue's form (-Y2) 42 Object Animation Multipower (104 pt pool),
a-11 15 pts Density Increase. 0 END, Persistent O IAF (headband), Initial Gestures & Incantations,
b-17 20 pts Growth, O END, Persistent O Need objects to animate (·Y2)
c-17 20 pis Shrinking, O ENO, Persistent O 4u 15 STA Telekinesis, Fine Manipulation,
e-31 Shape Shift, any form, O ENO, Persistent O Indirect (+3A),Y2 END, Area Affect Selective ( 4"r) 5
13 Armor (9 P0/9 ED), Fixed by statue form, 4u 28 STA Telekinesis, Fine Manipulation,
Linked to Density Increase Indirect (+3A),Y2 END 5
5 + 10 STA, linked to Growth, Fixed by Statue form 4u 35 STA Telekinesis, Indirect (+3A),Y2 END 5
30 10" Teleport, x256 NCM {3 miles), Variable Trigger 20 10" Teleport, x256 NCM, (3 miles), llF (headband
(When he wants to or When knocked out (+Y2)), & Hidden Talisman) [Animate & Possess Statue] 2
Only to resume own body (-2) 20 4 Floating Locations [Statues bearing talismans]
1 Fixed Location: Own Real Body 5 Disguise 12-
38 Multitorrn to 190 pt Human, Variable Trigger, 8 KS: Animation Magic 13·, Western Mainstream
linked to Teleport Occultism 13·
5 Flash Defense (5) 3 Languages: Native English, fluent Hebrew
10 Power Defense ( 10) 4 PS: Wax Modeling 11 -, Kosher Cook 11-
30 Full Life Support 3 Stealth 12·
5 Disguise 12- 15 +3 levels w/ Animation Multipower
8 Animation Magic 13-, Western Mainstream 8 40 pt Headquarters
Occultism 13-
3 Languages Native English, fluent Hebrew 100+ Disadvantages
4 PS: Wax Modeling 11-, Kosher Cook 11- 20 Fear of personal combat (V Com, Strong)
6 +3 OCV w/ Punch 10 Greedy (Com)
1O Hungry for magic power (Com)
100+ Disad vantages
20 Normal Characteristic Maxima
15
Protective of real body (Uncommon, Total) 15 Hunted by hero team, 8-
15
Tries to kill opponents (Com, Strong) 15 Secret ID (Upton Frogge)
10 Greedy (Com)
1O Hungry for magic power (Com)
15 Phys Lim: Mute
money. His faith was undiminished. He knew there had to be
15 Phys Lim: Remove talisman forces return to real body real adepts of magic somewhere, hiding their awesome
10 Phys Lim: Remove headband traps in statue body powers from the idly curious. He vowed to find them.
15 Susc: Removing talisman, 3d6 STUN Frogge spent years on his quest, spending most of what
15 Distinctive Features: Statue (hard to conceal, strong he earned from working in his father's wax museum upon
reaction) more esoteric books and visits to self-proclaimed psychics
15 Hunted by hero team, 8- and occult experts. Amazingly, he found his adept, an aged
15 Secret ID (Upton Frogge) cabalist who ran a kosher deli in Brooklyn. Although Chaim
140 Villain bonus Rosenthal knew the mysteries of ancient Hebrew sorcery
and mysticism, he was no judge of character: he agreed to
Background: Upton Frogge sought magic as a way to teach Frogge about real magic.
salvage his miserable life. Even in England, a name like To Frogge's chagrin, this apparently meant working in the
"Upton Frogge" made childhood a living hell, especially for a deli month after month while learning Hebrew. When he
boy who was fat and weak. Young Upton grew up preferring asked Rosenthal when he'd start learning spells instead of
books to people. He loved books about the occult, with their making potato salad, Rosenthal replied that potato salad
promise of easy power through secret knowledge. The only was as much an aspect of the Mind of God as anything else:
problem was, nothing in the books really worked . No demons "When you understand potato salad, you understand every-
came to his pentacles; no talisman brought him love or thing."
0 Creatures of the Night 15
Skills
GRANNY HEX
3 Acting 13-
3 Concealment 14-
Val Char Cost Combat Stats 3 Deduction 13·
3 Mimicry 11-
5 STA -5 OCV: 5
3 Paramedic 13·
14 DEX 12 DCV: 5 3 Sleight of Hand 12·
10 CON 0 ECV: 7
3 Stealth 12·
10 BODY 0 Phases:4,8, 12 Ventriloquism 11 •
3
23 INT 13 12 KS: Appalachia, Witchcraft & Folk Magic, Herbalism,
20 EGO 20 Costs Fortune Telling 14- each {based on INT)
20 PRE 10 PS: Midwife 11·
2
6 COM -2 Char: 73 Base: 100 +2 levels w/ Mimicry/Sleight of HandNentriloquism
6
3 PD 2 + + 10 +2 levels Witchcraft Multipower
6 ED 6 Powers: 177 Disad: 150
3 SPD 6 :: = 100+ Disadvantages
6 REC 6 Totals: 250 250
30 END 5 20 Hatred of modern things (Com, Total)
18 STUN 0 15 Fear of open combat (V Com)
15 Vengeful (V Com)
Cost Power s END 10 Phys Lim: Ignorant of modern age
5 Phys Lim: No ID cards
47 Witchcraft Multipower (94 pt pool) OAF (varies) 20 Normal Characteristic Maxima
4u 14d6 Mind Control, V? END [Fascination Gem) 4 10 Age 60+
4u 12d6 Mind Control, 1 Hex Area [Fascination Gem) 9 5 Distinctive Features (creepy old hag)
4u 6d6 major Translorm human to creature 15 Hunted by heroes 8·
expressing inner nature [Beastform Curse] 9 10 Hunted by Judea-Christian churches 8-
4u 14d6 Mental Illusions, Hunted by FBI 8·
10
Y2 END [Mirage of Deepest Fear] 4 15 Secret ID
2u 10d6 Mind Control Nonverbal (+1/4) Trigger: Victim
sees charm (+1/.t) Usable by 1 Other:
the charm (+V4), Need hair/etc. from victim (·V2) Background: When Patience Muir was born, her great-aunt
1 hour Extra Time (-2V2) [Emotion Charm] 9 recognized her as the family's next great witch. They were a
2u 2V2d6 Drain vs. any 1 characteristic {+ 1/A), Usable family of witches and conjure-men and had been for longer
by Others (+I/•), Trigger (Victim touches fetish (+V,)). than they could remember, long before they came from
Recover 5 pts/week (+ 11/A ), Invisible to Scotland to the Appalachians in America. The same year the
sighVhearing (+%), Need hair/etc. from victim (-V2),
1 hour Extra Time (-2V2) (Curse Fetish) Armistice was signed in Paris saw Patience initiated into the
2u Change Environment, to any weather condition, Craft. Just before the Nazis invaded Poland her great-aunt
256" radius, 1 chg of 5 hours (·V4) Costs END, finished the century of life guaranteed to a witch and joined
5 minutes initial Extra Time (· 1) (Control Weather) 9 the eternal mist which winds through the forested peaks, and
2u 2d6+ 1 AKA, Variable Special Effect (+V?.), Time Patience became the new head of the Coven.
Delay, Indirect (+3.4), 1 phase Extra Time, Gestures, Patience did indeed become a witch of unusual power,
Incantations, No Control over effect (·Y.!) feared and respected through the high Appalachians. She
[Attract Destruction) 9 gained the nickname Granny Hex when she was in her fifties.
2u 2V2d6 AKA Invisible to sight/hearing(+%) As the last decade of the Twentieth Century approached,
Time Delay, V2 ENO, Only vs. inanimate (·1), however, she began to worry. Fewer and fewer people
1 phase Extra Time, Gestures,
Incantations [Break Object I) 4
needed and feared the witch-folk, or even believed in them.
2u 2'hd6 AKA Invisible to sight/hearing(+%), Young men and women left the mountains. Those who
Variable Trigger (+V2), Only vs. Inanimate (-1), returned, came back strangers.
1 phase Extra Time Gestures Incantation Even her family wasn't immune. Her own granddaughter.
[Break Object 11) 9 whom she'd hoped would succeed her, had become some·
2u Clairsentience: Vision. Sense Mystic Influences, thing called a "psychologist": when Granny Hex tried explain-
Precognition. x125 range (-42 miles)V2 ENO, 5 ing family traditions to her one last time, the poor daft child
minutes initial Extra Time (-1) [Fortune Telling) 3 babbled gibberish about "folkways" and "power of sugges-
16 Armor (8 PD/8 ED), OIF (Protective Amulet) tion."
10 Mental Defense (14) Granny Hex had never thought much about the outside
12 +25 PRE, Only to cause sympathy (-1)
("Poor Old Woman" Act] world, except to feel a mild contempt for ignorant outsiders.
5 IR Vision (Witchsight] As she saw the young people drawn one by one from the
3 Detect Mystic Influences mountains to the l ight~ of distant cities. disdain deepened
0 Creatures of the N•ght 17
she's not about to give up without a fight. She's got less than
fifteen years until she becomes mist on the mountain, and
she means to make those years count.
Powers/Tactics: Granny Hex commands spells of formi-
dable power and great variety. Her witchcraft is less flashy,
however, than Oemonologist's sorcery. She can't throw
fireballs; instead she curses a building and it mysteriously
burns down.
Her magic falls into two main categories: direct mental
powers, collectively known to her as "fascination," which she
wields through a jewel or shiny, attention-getting trinket; and
curses, charms and philters to cause sickness, destroy
property or control behavior. She also has spells to control
the weather and turn people into animals. (What animal a
victim becomes is up to the GM: it should have something to
do with the character's personality or actions, but not be very
complimentary. She can easily add more spells, as the GM
chooses.)
Granny Hex's Foci tend to be simple and homely, such as
a cord in which she ties knots to raise a storm, a twig she
breaks to collapse a ceiling, or a talisman of painted wood,
bone and feathers, held together with string. Demonologist
gave her a protective amulet and may lend her other magic
items of his creation.
Since her magic is less combat-oriented than that of other
Devi l's Advocates, Granny Hex particularly avoids open
confrontations. She can make incredible amounts of trouble,
however, for people who don't expect her. Bases get struck
by lightning. Heroes come down with inexplicable diseases,
or find themselves insanely destroying their own reputa-
tions. or suffer any sort of bad luck. It's as if someone had put
a hex on them! And if they notice the old woman drawing a
weird symbol on their jet, and one suddenly remembers how
into hatred. When Oemonologist sought her out and told her he'd met her in the street and she'd dazzled his eyes wrth a
of his war on modernity and technology, she joined him glittering gem while muttering strange words, she's got an
gladly. out: "Oh, help! Won't someone save a poor old woman from
Quote: "Old Gran' has a surprise for you." these young ruffians?"
Personality: Granny Hex is a bitter old woman. For most of Appearance: Granny Hex is over 80 years old, and looks it.
her life she's been a big shot. The world has passed her by, She is small and shriveled, dressed in carefully-mended
however, even in the rural Appalachians. A world where clothes of a style even older than she is. She walks with the
children program VCRs for their helplessly befuddled par- help of a gnarled wooden cane.
ents has no place for an old and very traditional witch. Still,
18 Creatures of the N•ght 0
100+ Disadvantages
SHADOWFIRE
20 11/2x STUN from Light Attacks
15 Protective of daughter (Com, Strong)
Val Char Cost Combat Stats 15 Loves to gloat (V Com)
STA 10 Hates light-based characters (Com)
8 -2 OCV: 6+
15 Phys Lim: Blind in normal vision
18 DEX 24 DCV:6
20 Susc: 2d6 STUN from Flash & light-based attacks
20 CON 20 ECV: 5
10 when Oesolid
BODY 0 Phases:3,6,9, 12
15 Susc: 1d6 STUN/minute from fllll sunlight or equivalent
18 INT 8 5 Distinctive Features (sinister, blind old man)
14 EGO 8 Costs
10 ONPC: (Lilith, daughter), less powerful, 11 •
20 PRE 10
10 Hunted by FBI & DEA 8-
6 COM -2 Char: 92 Base: 304
10 Hunted by light-based hero, 8·
6 PD 5 + + 5 Watched by Oemonologist, 11-
9 ED 5 Powers: 304 DIsad: 296 146 Villain Bonus
4 SPD 12 = =
8 REC 4 Totals: 396 396
40 END 0 Background: Albert Nomus wasn't proud of what he'd done
24 STUN 0 ·01F (Amulet) to get to the secret shrine of the Cult of the Greater Dark, but
he didn't regret any of it either. Ever since he'd read
Cost Powers END
Castaneda's accounts of Native American peyote mysti-
20 EC-Darkness Magic, Gestures cism, he'd been convinced that mind-altering drugs held the
a-20 3" radius Darkness vs. all vision, 1/2 END 2 key to magic. And he wanted magic. He spent years inves-
b-14• 8d6 EB Personal Immunity (+1/4) [Darkbolt] 5 tigating drug cults and ritual use of hallucinogens, gave up
c-11 • 21/2d6 AKA, Personal Immunity,
family, friends and a career as an assistant professor of
x2 END (Darklance] 1O
anthropology, but the doorway to magic stayed shut. But the
d-12* 20" Flight, 112 END, Only in dark conditions (-1.4) 2
e-13· Images vs. normal sight, hearing, -5 to PER, Greater Dark was the most mysterious curt he'd ever found,
4 Hexes Radius, 1/2 ENO, and it used one of the rarest, most powerful hallucinogens of
Only in dark [Shadow Weaving] 2 all: the black lotus.
f.13• Force Field (17 PD. 17 ED), 0 ENO, Only in dark Now he knelt at a black marble altar. "Drink,"the high priest
29• ~d6 CON + 112d6 BODY Transfer to ENO and commanded. Nomus drained the small, black onyx goblet to
STUN, Max 10 pts each (+7), 8" Radius, Continuous, the last drop. The cultists' chanting echoed through his head.
O END, Personal Immunity, Only from people tainted The shadows lying thickly in the crypt-like shrine came alive
by drug (-2), 0 Range [Life Leech] and wrapped around him. The candles burned dimmer,
15 2d6 major Transform to Drug Slave, farther, like stars, as he hung alone in interstellar space with
Works vs. EGO, Cumulative; + 1d6 DEX Drain
the blackness crowding into his brain. The shadows ran
Recover 1 DEX/3 minutes (+1/2), OAF,
1 turn Gradual Effect (-1) Minor Restrictions along his neurons, giggling, and opened the secret cellars of
on Use (-112) [Shadowfire Drug) [8c] his soul. Out came all the secret fears and desires he had
27* Oesolidiflcation, (not vs. Light or Flash Attacks) ever denied, the shames he did not want to remember,
[Shadow Form] 4 mocking him with their pettiness: poor little ape, thing of clay.
4 5" Flight, Only in Darkness thinking he could face Eternal Night? But then out roared a
x3 END [Shadow Walking) 3/5" fierce and terrible pride, the secret lust for power and praise
7 4d6 ED Absorption to STUN, that had driven him, that demanded the whole world accede
Only vs. Oarklorce attacks (-2) to his desires and become a vast mirror for the glory of Albert
5 Armor{+ 10 ED), Only vs. Oarkforce attacks (·2)
Nomus.
15· Mind Link to Drug Slaves, x64 Minds, Only at Night,
Costs ENO, Max Range 5 miles(-%)
He wrenched his mind back into his body. Black fire
4
20 N-Ray Vision, blocked by illumination tormented his flesh. He screamed and dark flames erupted
[Mystic Darksight] from his mouth. The high priest stood above him a mile high,
Quantum Level; +5 STR; +3 DEX; +5 pts EC; +1" smiling. He felt himself dying-but his pride would not let him.
Darkness (6); +2d6 EB (4 ); + 1O pts AKA (3); +5" He called upon the meditations and exercises for controlling
Flight (4); -1 PER, x2 Radius on Images (6); +4 PO, hallucinations which he had learned from earlier cults, fought
4 ED Force Field (3); x4 Radius on Life Leech (4) with the fire, and mastered it. He struggled to his feet.
24 1st Quantum Level: Need 5 Shadowtire users In Life The cultists, he saw, all carried dark flames within them-
Leech area (-1) selves. Each flame was somehow tied to the jet medallion
16 2nd Quantum Level: Need 25 Shadowfire users (-2) the high priest wore around his neck. Albert snatched the
10 3rd Quantum Level: Need 125 Shadowfire users (-4)
medallion from the astonished priest. He called the flames to
5 4th Quantum Level: Need 625 Shadowfire users (-8)
him, gasping at the rush of power, and hurled the black fire
Skills at the priest. The priest fell dead.
3 Deduction 13-
Nomus spent a year with the cult as their new priest,
5 KS: Darkness Magic 14· learning all that he could about the black lotus drug and the
2 PS: Drug Dealer 11- magic of darkness. Then they all went to America-and,
3 Stealth 13- Albert hoped, to his apotheosis.
10 +2 levels w/ Magic Attacks
0
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~-
Creatures of the Night 21
sciously she does the very same thing. She always tries to
psychologically dominate others, to be the one in control of
the situation.
While her illusion power is useful for keeping people off
balance, she doesn't rely on it exclusively. She is very good
at "reading" people to find sensitive topics and psychological
limitations to exploit. If facing a chivalric male character, her
tough, cool exterior will crack under pressure, leading to a
tearful plea for help; a character driven by the death of her
parents might receive probing questions about her family
life. (She even does this with the other Devil's Advocates, to
their annoyance. Apollyon has almost killed her more than
once-but she finds him easy to calm down again through
flattery and distraction. She rarely shows her true feelings.
PowersfTactics: Vilsimbra is a skilled sorceress specializ-
ing in illusion-casting. She cannot muster the same raw
power and number of spells at once that Demonologist can,
but she can work out a spell for nearly any purpose. Her
magic always needs -Y2 worth of limitations such as Concen-
trate, Gestures, Focus, Extra Time, etc. Miscellaneous magic
requires -1 total limitations.
With the creation of illusions, however, only Demonologist
can match her power. She can even create tactile illusions,
such as illusionary walls that feel solid even though anyone
who really tried (or crashed into one out of control} could
push right through , or illusionary people who can shake
hands. She can only use her full illusion-casting power in
dimly-lit surroundings.
She also carries a number of minor magic items that she
took with her into exile or supplied by Demonologist. In dim
light, she can make herself invisible with special ease (i.e.
not calling on her Power Pool).
Finally, her left hand is made of living black crystal-the
She would show that dominating the Outside was far more result of a clash with a powerful magical entity. With this hand
rewarding than just dominating each other. she can turn other things into brittle black glass, a favorite
Over the years, Vilsimbra's adventures took her through device of hers for intimidating captives.
many planes and eventually to Earth. There she met a While her magic can be used in obvious ways to attack or
shorllifer who called himself Demonologist. He was quite defend, Vilsimbra relies on illusion whenever possible. While
clever, for a human, and saw ways they could help each her illusions cannot directly harm an enemy, she is very
other. Astoundingly, he wanted the Dark Elves to come to his cunning at creating false threats, hiding existing dangers
world. So Vilsimbra joined his alliance of sorcerers. It would (such as deep holes, high-tension wires or her teammates).
be just the power-base she'd been looking for, she thought. and generally keeping enemies from knowing the real situ-
And matching wits and powers against Earth's heroes was ation. More than once, heroes have caught her-Qnly to find
.. . intense. that they'd captured a quasi-solid phantom double.
In a stalactite-hung cavern in the Land of Legends, the Appearance: Vilsimbra stands a slender 5'1".She dresses
Ectolian Prince watched an obsidian mirror; it showed in dark green and purple-the Ectolian clan colors-with a
Demonologist introducing Vilsimbra to the other Devil's high-collared black cape, accented with silver jewelry and
Advocates. She was young, the Prince thought-only a few piping. Her protective amulet is her cape clasp, a large purple
thousand years old, as humans reckoned such things. He gem in a silver setting, which flashes purple whenever she is
was much older, and remembered when the svartalfar had struck. Her skin is glossy black and her long hair is silvery-
freely meddled with mortals. In time, the errant Contessa- white. Her face is classically elven: narrow, sharp-featured,
Minore would also learn the futility of playing with shortlifers: with pointed ears.
just when you'd got in a position to push a few of them around
Notes: The Ectolian Prince does not hunt Vilsimbra through
they'd die of old age or the nation would collapse or some-
anything so crude as physical attacks, by himself or by proxy.
thing like that. It was so hard to build anything enduring. In the
meantime, he thought it amusing to make sure Vilsimbra did Instead he uses his magic to hinder her long-distance in fairly
not gain too much raw power. Being murdered was so subtle ways, such as giving heroes clues in dreams or
inelegant. The Prince smiled, without cruelty or compassion, making t hings fall at inconvenient moments. The Prince will
and blanked the glass. not declare himself openly to heroes, but he unintentionally
leaves traces when his spells directly affect characters: for
Quote: "What rare sport you mortals provide!" instance, he will appear briefly in a dream-sending, or be
Personality: Vilsimbra may feel impatient with her people's glimpsed momentarily by a hero he aids in a tight moment.
endless games of power and manipulation, but uncon-
Creatur es of the Night 0
Members: Major Mind, Mindwhip, Vandal, others as de- supports-while setting up false clues leading back to the
sired. candidate it wants to lose the election. While the MMC is no
Background: The Mind-Master Complex is not inconspicu- master of battlefield tactics, it will probably know about every
ous, yet its plans for world control often require coveit action. conceivable factor it could exploit, from a company's security
It does not like agents to work unsupervised. The MMC system to a city alderman's personality.
found , however, that it could "possess" weak-willed people Group Relations: There aren't any. The remotes are actu-
and, in some cases, channel a fraction of its tremendous ally all one being, or at least one mind.
power through its victim's brain. It could thereby both deal The Mind-Master Complex has no problem working with
with a situation personally and preserve its secrecy. By now other vi llains to achieve its goals, so long as the other villains
the MMC has prepared numerous "remote units" around the are not so powerful they could ever pose a threat. It prefers
world. These three are merely a sample. villains whose personalities are fairly predictable and who
Remote units generally don't know that someone else is aren't especially bright. (Good candidates from Classic
using their body now and then. The Mind-Master Complex Enemies include Black Diamond, Freon, Lazer, Oculon,
completely overwhelms its victim's mind, leaving the victim Shamrock and Sparkler.) It avoids employing unpredictable
with no memory of what he or she did while possessed. The psychopaths (such as Firebug, Foxbat and the Ripper). It is
MMC even tries to hide the gap in the victim's memory by wary of other psionics.
implanting false memories. This doesn't always work: Stu The only being in the world it actually fears, however, is
Tanner [MindwhipJ, for instance, now suspects his memory Menton (see Classic Enemies.) The MMC seeks a way to kill
is playing tricks on him. If some poor soul did become aware Dr. Destroyer's super-psionic minion without leaving any
of the MMC's possession, he would probably be put in a trace back to itself should the attempt fail.
sanitarium because of "paranoid delusions." No villains or criminal agencies, however, will ever be told
Worst of all , a hero could be possessed, even a PC. The they work for the Mind-Master Complex. This is partly for the
MMC might keep such a prized remote unit possessed for MMC's own safety, but partly because the MMC has decided
days while it builds dossiers on other heroes, subverts their that world control will be more difficult to achieve if anyone-
computer and hides traps in their headquarters. (The "pos- even its own allies-knows what it is after. "Mere humans"
sessed PC" option is only recommended for skilled, experi- don't like the thought of anyone trying to control them.
enced players.) Reputation: While some heroes, governments and other
Fortunately, the MMC can only possess one remote unit at agencies know about the Mind-Master Complex, nobody
a time, and while possessing a remote the MMC can do knows much about what it is doing. As mentioned , this is just
nothing else. what the MMC wants. The UNTIL Supervillain Survey calls
Tactics: The remote units do whatever missions are best the MMC "A significant but unquantifiable threat to national
suited for their powers and position. Major Mind, for instance, security. If this entity's involvement is suspected , proceed
supplies access to an important U.S. intelligence agency with extreme caution ."
and, to a lesser degree, the whole Department of Defense. Many villains mistake the MMC's secrecy for cowardice, or
He is a fairly typical information-gathering remote, although believe it doesn't really exist. The smarter villains know
the MMC can channel some aggressive powers through better.
Major Mind if need be. Vandal makes an excellent assassin. Scenario Use: The watchword for using the MMC and its
Both she and Mindwhip can also be used as an "in" to the remote units is paranoia! Anybody could be the enemy-
supervillain community. They may lead ad-hoc groups of contacts, friends, family members, anybody! The MMC
normal hired villains. The MMC regards Mindwhip and knows everyone's secrets and weaknesses. It can attack
Vandal as relatively expendable. from any direction. And how hard dare one fight against a
Tactics for particular missions depends on what the mis- new psionic villain? It could be an innocent person pos-
sions are. If the MMC just wants information, it will get that sessed by the Mind-Master Complex! On the other hand,
information as efficiently and unobtrusively as possible. Very mentalist villains who get bopped might go into the where-
probably, no one will ever notice. If it wants to rig an election, am-1 routine heroes know from de-possessed remotes,
it might make the candidate it opposes do something stupid putting the heroes off guard. The MMC should show just how
or criminal. More subtly, it might have a remote gather a scary and unnerving psionics could be.
villain team to do a crime wave or attack the candidate it
0 Creatures of the Night
100+ Disadvantages
MIND-MASTER COMPLEX
15 Megalomania (V Com)
15 Vengeful (V Com)
Val Char Cost Combat Stats 15 Secretive (Com, Strong)
15 Manipulative (Com, Strong)
8 STA -2 CCV: 7+ 10 Hunting heroes who Know Too Much, 11·
20 DEX 30 DCV: 7 5 Phys. Lim: Can't move through narrow openings
30 CON 40 ECV: 10 (infrequent, slight)
15 BODY 10 Phases:2,4,6,8, 10, 12 Distinctive Features (can't conceal, causes horror):
25
33 INT 23 Brains in Machine Body
30 EGO 40 Costs 10 Reputation 8-, Extreme: BIG Time Operator
35 PRE 25 20 Hunted by Or. Destroyer (or other mega-villain), 11 •
0 COM -5 Char: 293 Base:100 Hunted by agency that made it, 11-
20
35 PD 33 + + 10 Hunted by hero team, 8-
35 ED 29 Powers: 724 Disad: 917 757 Villain Bonus
6 SPD 30 ::: =
20 REC 24 Totals: 1017 1017
60 END 0 Background: Project Mindlink. The agency's greatest suc-
50 STUN 16 cess-the agency's greatest failure.
The idea was to create an omnipotent psionic slave. The
Cost Powers END
agency's scientists had heard of mentalists coordinating to
207 Psychic Power Pool (94 pt pool) 0 phase to change, increase their power; Mindlink would create a permanent
No skill roll needed, Only TK/Mental effects (-1/.s) psychic fusion of awesome power. And so the agency
62 Gadget Power Pool (50 pt pool), OIF, kidnapped seven moderately powerful psychics (inciden-
Change in lab (-Y2) tally clashing with the Parapsychological Studies Institute)
25 Damage Resistance (20 PD/20 ED), Hardened
and brainwashed them to serve the agency. Then the tops of
15 Hardened Defense on base PD, ED
5 Flash Defense, sight (5) the psychics' skulls were removed and their brains linked in
15 Mental Defense (20) a machine with a spiderweb of wires.
5 Power Defense (5) The seven minds met, but would not fuse. The sense of
5 Lack of Weakness (5) individual identity was too strong. In fact, the seven people
27 Life Support: Self-Contained Breathing, No Need to didn't really like each other. So the scientists took an elec-
Eat/Excrete/Sleep, Immune to Vacuum/Pressure & tronic thought-shield captured from PSI and rebuilt it around
Intense Heat/Cold Environments, Disease, Aging the seven, only inside-out; instead of keeping psychic forces
25 1O" Flight, 0 END out, it kept them in. The seven had no choice but to share
25 Mindlink x4, with anyone their thoughts.
64 Enhanced Senses: 360 Degree Senses, Radar The seven minds fought for over a week. Eventually,
Sense, +6 Telescopic Vision. IA Vision,
however, the seven did merge into one personality. One very
High Range Radio Hearing
exasperated personality, with prodigious psychic powers
Skills and the intelligence to use them well. The long struggle had
burned away the superficial brainwashing, and the compos-
3 Absolute Time Sense
3 Bureaucratics 16- ite entity had no intention of serving the agency. Instead, it
3 Computer Programming 16- quickly enslaved the project's scientists.
5 Cramming First it had the scientists remedy some inefficiencies in its
3 Deduction 16- own design. Bodies were nice life-support systems, but
1o Eidetic Memory seven linked through bulky machinery unacceptably limited
7 Electronics 13· mobility. It had the scientists create a tough, mobile life-
3 Inventor 16- support machine for the seven linked brains. The redundant
3 Lightning Calculator bodies were discarded. And then it and its dominated scien-
7 Inventor 16- tists left the project. There was no opposition.
3 Scientist
18 Sciences: Biochemistry, Biology, Bionics, Chemistry, Mentally, the fusion tsked. The agency's inability to control
Medicine, Neurology, Parapsychology, Physics, its own creation was just one more example of humanity's
Psychology 16· each (based on INT) bumbling inefficiency. Things would run so much better if all
3 Simulate Death power was coordinated by one really competent mind, one
3 Speed Reading unchallenged master. A master mind. A mind-master. And it,
10 Wealthy the Mind-Master Complex, was obviously the intellect most
40 Followers: 64 x 50 pt Agents and Scientists competent to rule the world.
100 Headquarters (500 pis reseive)
20 +4 levels Psychic Pool attacks based on OCV Quote: "Opposing me is irrational. It is also suicidal."
Creatures of the. Night 0
Personality: The Mind-Master Complex is coldly manipula- Dr. Destroyer has done with every major system with the
tive. Its goal is to rule the world-not to conquer the world, possible exception of the MMC's.) It knows every
just to rule it. Individual human life means nothing to the government's secrets. Its own technical skills are remark-
MMC; observing, for instance, that drug use compromises able. If it doesn't know how to build some device needed for
efficiency while making drug lords powerful, it might manipu- a plan, it scans the world until it finds some scientist who
late other beings into trying to massacre the Colombian does.
cocaine barons- while offering by proxy to protect the co- The MMC's greatest power, however, and the foundation
caine barons if they will join its service. It wins no matter of many of its strategies, is to "possess" people and act
which proxy group succeeds. The MMC seldom faces an through them. It can channel some of its own psychic power
opponent in person. through such "remote units." Fortunately, it can only possess
Unlike most megalomaniacs, the Complex is too rational one remote unit at a time and has no control over which
to carry on vendettas against heroes just because they've powers the possessed person can channel. In effect, the
thwarted it once or twice. If particular heroes become regular Mind-Master Complex creates new superbeings who are
obstacles to its plans, however, and especially if they Know totally under its control, which it directs via continuous Mind
Too Much, it will devote its considerable resources to neu- Link. Note that it can possess captured heroes, for whatever
tralizing them. This can range from discrediting the heroes, nefarious purposes it may have. It does much of its opera-
to killing them, or even trying to recruit them. After all, the tions through such possessed remotes, often backing them
Mind-Master Complex promises a world without hunger, war up with teams of hired villains.
or prejudice. Humanity just has to give up its freedom, that's Possession, conspiracy, one's very thoughts no longer
all ... secret or safe- the Mind-Master Complex is a paranoid
Powers/Tactics: The Mind-Master Complex has tremen- nightmare come to life. Who do you trust?
dous telepathic, telekinetic and clairsentient powers. It can Appearance: The Mind-Master Complex is about 4' in
rip open a tank, mentally track a person from around the diameter and 3' high, surmounted by a shallow dome of
world, probe even the deepest subconscious motivations, or armored plastic. Under the dome are seven human brains
rearrange a victim's memories. It supplements its own tre- awash in pinkish nutrient fluid, connected to the housing and
mendous intel lect with high-powered computers which moni- each other by thousands of hair-thin wires. The metal hous-
tor world events, search database networks for information, ing is studded with camera "eyes" and various other sensors,
and look for patterns and correlations in even the most trivial jacks and plugs for auxiliary equipment. Tools are mounted
data. It has "hacked" into every major computer system in the at the end of spindly robot arms. It floats by psychic levitation.
world, with the possible exception of Dr. Destroyer's. (Just as
0 CreattJre.s of the Night
Membership: Manitou (leader), Bear, Coyote, Rattlesnake, Grandmother Spider watched from her place beyond the
Thunderbird. world, and grieved. How could her mortal and immortal
Origin: The undead Native American shaman Manitou children be so foolish? To meet hatred and death with more
wanted genocidal vengeance on the race that had stolen his hatred and death was to fight in the white man's way. In such
people's continent. He soon found, however, that he couldn't a war, victory was only another form of defeat. But despite
do it alone. He decided he needed to rouse the mighty totem· her power over destiny, her children had to make their own
gods who controlled the powers of nature. If he could get decisions-no matter how terrible the consequences.
them to break the ban placed on them by the white man's Tactics: The Totems usually have the goal of killing large
religion, surely they could wreck the white man's cities and numbers of non-Native Americans in colorful ways. To this
drive him back into the sea. end they try to cause disasters such as massive chemical
From the center of the continent he called at dawn to leaks, power plant explosions, dam failures, plane crashes
Grandmother Spider, eldest of spirits. She came, but she and so on. While they don't really think they can murder all
would not call her children to war. She could not, however. the white, black and Oriental people in the United States and
forbid them to lend their power to willing mortals. One thing Canada, Manitou thinks that if he makes life dangerous
only she would do for Manitou: she would twist the web of enough the whites will start moving out. Eventually the
destiny to bring four mortals to him. The first would arrive in continent will be left to Native Americans once more. The
just a few minutes . .. other Totems consider this unlikely, but they have their own
Daryl Tookenay just missed seeing Grandmother Spider. reasons for striking out at the dominant white culture.
He had planned to kill Manitou and claim the bounty on him, On a mission, they rely on Coyote's illusion powers to get
but Manitou persuaded him not to. them as close to their target as possible. After that it's pretty
Bob Mahto walked in an hour later, fearing that the white much a straightforward assault by Bear, Rattlesnake and
man's law was after him. Thunderbird, with Coyote and Manitou hindering opponents
Several hours after that, Jim Green literally fell out of the and setting them up for the others to nail. None of the Totems
sky into Manitou's prayer circle. have any high-tech skills, (except for Rattlesnake's Demoli-
Finally, Frederick Joe strolled in, looking for a phone to call tion skill), so once they reach a target they are pretty much
a wrecker. He found Manitou's offer more interesting. limited to ripping things up in hopes of triggering a disaster.
As the sun sank to the horizon, Manitou chanted the This may give heroes time to try capturing the Totems
ancient prayers, led his four recruits in the ritual dances, and without having to worry about immediate catastrophe.
passed around the medicine pipe. When the horizon bi· Once Manitou is satisfied that they have triggered a
sected the sun and the world stood in the gate between day disaster, he flies away in the form of a bird, and the others get
and night, the spirits answered. away as fast as they can. If necessary, Thunderbird carries
From the north shambled Bear, tall as a mountain and the others out one by one. The Totems then assume their
strength incarnate, the polar aurora caught in his fur. human identities and try to stay inconspicuous as they leave
A warm wind from the south carried Thunderbird . His the area.
wings, edged with lightning, spread over the sky like storm- Every now and then the Totems gruesomely murder an
clouds. archeologist or loot a museum of "stolen" Native American
Rattlesnake rose from the great twisting Mississippi, Fa- artifacts and remains.
ther of Rivers. The setting sun glittered off his dripping, Group Relations: While the various Totems have their
armored scales. minor personality clashes, none-with the possible excep-
And from the west came Coyote, skipping across the tion of Coyote-will ever leave the group. They can't leave
mountains, grinning like Death with dark mischief in his the group; it's the price they paid to get their power from
heart. Manitou. Coyote, however, does remain a wild card in the
Rattlesnake, Thunderbird and Bear pledged a portion of group. Manitou is unshakably certain of Coyote's loyalty, but
their power to Manitou because they were warrior spirits and the others aren't so sure. Coyote always does what he's told,
not good losers. Coyote had reasons of his own. Manitou in but he always seems to be enjoying a private joke the other
turn offered the power of the spirits to his four recruits. It members don't get.
would be a potlatch: he would give them power. and they The intensely racist nature of the Totems makes working
would give him their service ... forever. They agreed, and with other villain groups or agencies obviously impossible.
received their totemic forms and powers as the Earth slid into
darkness.
0 Creatures of the Night 31
~REG
~
100+ Disadvantages
MANITOU
20 Hates whites (V Com, Strong)
20 Bloodthirsty (V Com, Strong)
Val Char Cost Combat Stats 10 Contempt for technology (Com)
1S Susc: 2d6 STUN from Mental attacks
2S STA 1S OCV:8 1S Distinctive Features (hard to conceal,
24 DEX 42 DCV: 8
causes fear/surprise): Undead
23 CON 26 ECV: 7
10 Reputation 8-, Extreme: Genocidal fanatic
1S BODY 10 Phases:2,4,6,8, 10, 12
1S Hunted by FBI 11-
18 INT 8 1S Hunted by hero team 8·
20 EGO 20 Costs
30 PRE 20
s Hunted by Bureau of Indian Affairs 11 •
10 Public ID
4 COM .3 Char: 21S Base: 100 289 Villain Bonus
31 PD 26 + +
26 ED 21 Powers: 319 Disad: 434
6 SPD 26 = = Background: For more than a hundred years, Clouds-at-
12 REC 4 Totals: S34 S34 Sunset slumbered in the earth, content. He had taken a fatal
46 END 0 wound against the white man's soldiers, but his magic had
40 STUN 0 ensured a great victory. His people would not be penned in
Cost Powers END barren reservations, like the white men penned their animals
on farms or themselves in cities. Minerals and acids in the
82 Multipower (82 pt pool) ground water slowed his body's decay and his spirit's final
Su 13d6 EB, Indirect: Comes from the sky (+1/.i), release, but he felt no hurry. When the dead lingered they
Only in appropriate weather (·1/2) [Lightning) 8
Su 3d6 EB, NND [Force Field/Full-coverage armor],
could be dangerous, but he was a friendly spirit. He had
Uncontrolled Continuous O END, 6" Radius Effect, watched his children grow up and have children of their own,
Selective, Stopped by area attacks, advising them on occasion, before sinking into endless
1 turn before can re-start (·1/2) [Bees/Flies) dreams. He heard nothing but the pines above him dancing
Su 1d6 AKA, AP, Uncontrolled, Continuous, O END, in the winds.
Indirect(+%), 6" Radius Effect, Selective, Then the pine trees screamed, and a great clanking and
Stopped by Area Attacks, rumbling filled the ground. The shaman's spirit woke and
1 turn before can re-start (·112) [Birds) rose to the surface. It found white men riding huge, smoke-
Su 4 x 12S pt Summon, Any Local Animals (+1/.i), belching metal beasts that butted against the pines and
1 phase Extra Time [Animals] . 8 knocked them over. He tried to pull the men from their metal
Su 9d6 Mind Control Nonverbal (+1/.i), 1/2 END,
1 Hex Area, Nonselective, Only vs. Animals or
beasts but he had no hands. He tried to curse them with
Animal-Based Supers (·1/2) [Control Animals] 4 every punishment an angry ghost could inflict, but they
1S EC-Animal Forms ignored him. Then he remembered that to the white man
a-1S Shape Shift, Any Animal, 0 END there were no spirits in the world, no manitou, except for one
b-12 20 pis Growth, 0 END, great spirit who lived above the sky. Without a body he could
Only for appropriate form (-1/.i) do nothing, and his people were gone.
c-12 2 levels Shrinking, O END, Clouds-at-Sunset watched the workmen for three days as
Only for appropriate form (·1/.i) they ripped out the trees and scraped the earth flat again. On
d-12 1S" Flight, Only for appropriate form (-1/.i) 1/S" the third day, one of the men found a bone and a basket,
e-14 11/2d6 (3d6+1 w/STR) HKA ,1/2 END , relics of someone buried less deeply than he had been. The
Only for appropriate form (-1/.i) [Claw/Bite) 1
39 Change Environment 1024" (1 V.. miles) Radius, foreman looked at the relics, then called men with hammers
Any Weather Condition (+ 1), 0 END, to smash the bone and burn the basket. The shaman's rage
S minutes Extra Time per change, reached new heights: they knew this was a burial ground,
Gestures, Incantation (Weather Control] this was deliberate! If only he could use his body! He sank
11 1d6 (2d6 w/STR) HKA, AP, OAF (Knife) 2+ once more into his cold, half-pickled flesh again and furiously
29 Damage Resistance (10 PD/8 ED) willed it to move. And it did-just a tiny twitch-but it moved.
16 Life Support: Self-Contained Breathing, Hour after hour, Clouds-at-Sunset forced his body to move
Immune to Disease & Aging again. It got easier with time. Slowly, he ripped through the
Skills
heavy earth. He reached the surface a few hours before
dawn. While he waited he learned to speak again.
22 Danger Sense, vs. any threat or attack, 12· When the first workman came in the morning, Clouds-at-
3 Bump of Direction Sunset stole up behind and strangled him. The next work-
3 Climbing 14· man he clubbed to death. Then next two came together
3 Interrogation 1S·
3 Oratory 1S·
before he'd hidden the body. They tried tackling him-then
3 Paramedic 13- recoiled when they saw what they'd grabbed. He killed one
3 Stealth 14· while the other ran screaming and fled in their metal beast.
3 Survival 11-
3 Tracking 13·
8 KS: Wilderness 13·, American Mystic Geography 13-
3 Fam; Common Melee Weapons, Bows
0 Creatures of the Night 33
Personality: Manitou's ruling passion is vengeance for his
people. Whites are the chief target of his wrath, but he hates
African-Americans and Orientals too. He reluctantly recog-
nizes that he can't personally kill every non-Native American
man, woman and child in North America, even with his four
assistants, so he settles for terrorism. He most likes oppor-
tunities to kill hundreds of whites at once.
In between mass murders, he strikes against people he
finds particularly offensive. These include real-estate devel-
opers, archeologists (grave robbers) and anyone who works
for the U.S. or Canadian government. (Since native cultures
in Mexico were so different from the tribal cultures Manitou
knew, he leaves Mexico alone. He figures, if the Aztec gods
want vengeance, they'll arrange it themselves.) To compen-
sate, he makes his murders as grisly as possible.
Powers/Tactics: Besides the natural resistance to damage
that comes from being dead, Manitou has considerable
magical control of natural forces and w ildlife. He can shape-
shift at will into animal forms, and control the weather by
chanting a prayer to the w ind-spirits.
Using totemic carvings of wood, feathers and other natural
materials, he can wield more aggressive magics as well. His
lightning bolt strikes from the sky. It bypasses any side
defenses, but any defense extending over the target gives
normal protection. The animals he calls will be creatures
historically correct for his location, whether or not any live
there now.
Manitou carries a stone dagger that is preternaturally
sharp. He also knows how to use traditional spears, toma-
hawk, bow, etc.
Manitou will fight superheroes if they get in his way or
offend him, but he never forgets his murderous goals. He'll
even try killing Native American superheroes who oppose
An hour later more men came, men in blue uniforms with him, although he might ask them first why they are working
guns. One shot Clouds-at-Sunset, but what are bullets to a with the enemy. In combat he lets his minions carry the brunt
dead man? He called a flock of birds to peck at the other blue- of the fighting, using his own powers to hamper and weaken
coated men while he attacked the one who'd shot him. The heroes, or to strike from surprise (often by lightning bolt).
others managed to flee. Clouds-at-Sunset laughed a hor- Appearance: Manitou's been working on his appearance
rible, scraping laugh. The white man was going to learn what since his reanimation, but he still looks like he belongs in a
it meant to anger a manitou l tomb. He dresses in fringed buckskin trousers, moccasins
Quote: "Leave my people's land! Go back across the sea or and a beaded vest. He wears a necklace of charms and
die!" talismans around his neck.
34 Creatures of the N•ght 0
changing roads often. He didn't dare try exchanging his
BEAR Canadian money, so he mugged a few people to get cash for
food and gas.
Mahto's stolen car ran out of gas in the plains of Kansas.
Val Char Cost Combat Stats He tried for over an hour to hitch a ride. None of the cars and
so·# STR 28 OCV:8 trucks even slowed down. Then he saw a trail of smoke in the
23 DEX 39 DCV:8 distance. It was the only other sign of a human presence.
30• CON 32 ECV:4 Mahto started walking. He found Manitou-and power that
17# BODY 12 Phases:3,5,8, 10, 12 would end his fears forever.
10 INT 0
11 EGO 2 Costs Quote: "Gonna hurt you, white-eyes."
28 PRE 18 Personality: Bear is a bully out to avenge a lifetime of
8 COM -1 Char: 188 Base: 100 perceived insignificance. He doesn't really appreciate the
30 PD 21 + + full scope of Manitou's goals. He also doesn't understand
25 ED 19 Powers: 132 Disad: 220 that he is now a slave. As long as there are white people to
s• SPD 14 hurt, Bear is happy and doesn't ask questions. The only
16 REC 4 Totals: 320 320 aspect of his totem's personality that has really come across
55 END 0 • Only in Hero ID
55# STUN 0 # Bonuses for Growth added in is a concern for sacred grounds.
Powers/Tactics: Bear is strong, tough, and an excellent
Cost Powers END wrestler (the totem has enhanced the skill he had already
20* 1d6+1 (2Y2d6 w/STR) HKA, Y2 END [Claws) 1 developed as a bouncer). In his Bear identity he also has
15 Wrestling huge claws. His tactics are rudimentary: he roars (Presence
Maneuver OCV DCV Damage Attack) and wades into his opponents. Anybody he can't stick
Slam +O +1 1Od6+v/5 his claws into, he slams into the ground or grabs and squeezes.
Opponent falls Bear also has the mystic power to detect individuals who
Hold -1 -1 60 STR Grab, hold have (knowingly or not) desecrated Native American burial
Escape +O +O 65 STR vs. Grabs grounds and otherold sacred sites. Manitou uses this power
Reversal +2 +2 Block, Abort to trackdowndesecratorssothat he might examples of them.
9 Damage Resistance (9 PD/9 ED) Appearance: In his Bear ID, Mahto is a bear walking upright.
30 50% Resistant Physical Damage Reduction As himself, Mahto is a large, strong Native American with
8• 5 pis Growth, 0 END, Persistent 0 short hair and a broken nose .
13• Detect Despoilers of Sacred Ground, Ranged,
+10Telescopic, Costs END 2
5 Instant Change
3, 3 Climbing 14-, Streetwise 15-
2 PS: Bouncer 11-
24 +3 levels w/ Any Combat
100+ Disadvantages
25 Berserk if BODY taken (11-/11-)
1O Berserk if witnesses desecration (11-/14-)
20 Hatred of non-Amerinds (V Com, Strong)
15 Loves violence (V Com)
15 Overconfidence (V Com)
10 Reputation 8-, Extreme (genocidal terrorist)
25 Hunted by U.S. Government 11-
15 Hunted by Devil's Advocates 8-
10 Hunted by Corrupt Megacorporation 8-
75 Villain Bonus
COYOTE
Skills
3 Acting 14-
3 Conversation 14-
3 Disguise 11 • Background: Frederick Joe got off the reservation as soon
3 Mimicry 11- as he could and headed for Los Angeles. There his quick wits
3 Oratory 14- brought him prosperity selling Native American Mystic Herbal
3 Persuasion 14-
Incense to the New Agers. It gave him great pleasure to see
3 Stealth 14-
3 Ventriloquism 11- the whites paying through the nose for a bogus bit of magic
4 KS: Classic Cons 11 ·, Business Law 11- from the people they had conquered.
3 PS: Con Man 12- Just when he was branching out into pirated recordings of
6 +2 levels w/ Disguise/Mimicry/Ventriloquism tribal chants, however. the IRS called him in for an audit.
15 +3 levels w/ DCV Since his accounting methods were more creative than the
law allowed, he found it prudent to clean out his bank account
100+ Disadvantages and hit the road.
15 Accidental Change if struck 11- Heading east through Kansas, Joe's car got a flat. To his
20 Loves humiliating opponents (V Com, Strong) immense annoyance, within ten miles the spare went flat as
15 Hatred of non-Amerinds (V Com) well. Spotting a thin pillar of smoke, he started walking. He
15 Fear of physical combat (V Com) thought he would find a farmhouse. Instead he found Manitou.
10 Susc: 2d6 STUN from Dispels or other blocks on Joe had never believed in gods or magic or spirits. He
powers thought they were just time-honored scams for fleecing the
10 Reputation a-, Extreme (genocidal terrorist)
25 Hunted by U.S. Government 11- gullible- but he believed when he found the old shaman had
15 Hunted by Devil's Advocates a. no heartbeat at all, and he accepted Man itou's offer. It had
10 Hunted by Corrupt Megacorporation a- the feeling of destiny. He cheerfully swapped his freedom for
15 Secret ID the power of Coyote. After all, Manitou just wanted llim to do
75 Villain bonus what he liked most-fooling the whites.
And, whispered an inner voice Joe hardly heard himself.
When did anyone-however mighty-ever really bind the
Trickster?
36 Creatures of the Night 0
Quote: "What can I say? The times, they are a-changing." RATTLESNAKE
Personality: Joe has merged with his totemic spirit far more
than the others, perhaps because he'd already been a
trickster. He's not so fanatically bound to Manitou's hatred. Val Char Cost Combat Stats
While he enjoys upsetting the apple cart of established white 25 STA 15 OCV: 10
power, he sees more options than genocide. It's not impos- 30 DEX 60 DCV: 10
sible that someday he might betray Manitou and set off on his 23 CON 26 ECV:6
own. 13 BODY 6 Phases:2, 4, 6, 7,9, 11, 12
18 INT 8
Powers/Tactics: In myth, the Coyote operates at two dis- 17 EGO 14 Costs
tinct levels. Most of the time, he's a prankster and con man, 23 PRE 13
forever getting caught in his own scams and narrowly escap- 8 COM -1 Char: 205 Base: 100
ing. He is also, however, the Master Changer who creates 23 PD 18 + +
and destroys the world. His powers of transformation are 19 ED 14 Powers: 121 Disad: 226
without limit. 7• SPD 24 = =
Joe has gained powers of deception that hint of Coyote's 15* REC 8 Totals: 326 326
true power. Not only can his illusions seem incredibly real, 46 END 0
39 STUN 0 •Only in Villain ID
with a bit more effort he really can transform things, in any
way he wants. Cost Powers END
Unlike the other Totems, Joe keeps all his powers whether
in his Coyote ID or not. In combat, Coyote keeps his human 20 Unique Snake Martial Art
appearance and uses his powers from concealment (per- Maneuver OCV DCV Damage
haps "hiding in plain sight" as part of a crowd). While his Punch +O +2 11 d6 Strike
Mental Illusions can be powerful enough to cause consider- Chop -2 +O 1d6+1 HKA
able damage on their own, he prefers to set heroes up for the (2 Y:1.d6 w/STR)
other Totems to hit. One of his favorite tricks is to make a hero Nerve Strike -1 +1 4d6 NND
see his comrades as the Totems and the actual Totems as Block -t=2 +2 Block, Abort
his comrades, so the hero attacks his own friends. Dodge ~ +5 Dodge, Abort
Appearance: In his human form, Frederick Joe stands 5'8" 13* +4 DC (already added in)
with a wiry build; he usually wears expensive-looking suits, 7 Damage Resistance (7 PD/ 7 ED)
although with his powers he can wear absolutely anything he 5 Lack of Weakness (-5)
4• IR Vision
thinks useful or appropriate. When he assumes his totem-
5 Instant Change
form he is a 5'8" coyote-man dressed in a breechcloth, 2 + 1" Running (7" total) 1/5"
although he can (and frequently does) change that too.
Skills
8* Find Weakness 11-, Punch
4* Combat Sense 14-
5 Defensive Maneuver
3 Breakfall 15-
3 Contortionist 15·
3 Deduction 13-
5 Demolitions 12-
3 Interrogation 14-
3 Security Systems 13-
3 Stealth 15-
6 KS: Mercenaries, Central America,
Central Africa 11- each
2 Languages: Native English, accented Spanish
6 PS: Mercenary 12-, Bounty Hunter 12-
2 Fam: Small Arms
9 +3 levels Snake Fighting
100+ Disadvantages
15 Accidental Change when angry, 8-
15 Berserk when BODY taken (8-/14-)
20 Hatred of non-Amerinds (V Com, Strong)
20 Merciless (Com, Strong)
1O Won't refuse a challenge to fight (Strong)
10 Susc: 1d6 END Drain/turn from Cold environment
10 Reputation 8-, Extreme (genocidal terrorist)
25 l:-lunted by U.S. Government 11 -
15 Hunted by Devil's Advocates 8-
10 Hunted by Corrupt Megacorporation 8-
76 Villain Bonus
0 Creatures of the Night 37
entered a condition best described as "meltdown." But in his outsider, which he blames on his appearance and (of course)
ravings he told what Dravus had done. superior intelligence, and he's developed a lot of intellectual
And when the University's president confronted Dravus arrogance to compensate. His creatures, however, are as
and they shouted at each other, Dravus' flying dog smashed friendly as he wants them to be, and they make him vicari-
its way into the building and bit the president to death. From ously powerful. By now he identifies more with them than
miles away, it had felt the rage of its creator-of whose brain with humans (which is part of the reason behind his pseud-
it had an imperfect copy. onym).
Dravus rode his beast out of the building. When the police He's not totally lost to conscience; his student's death from
arrived at his house, he, the winged hound, his notes and his attempts to help hit him hard, but his egotism won't let him
much of his equipment were gone. Now Dravus lives in admit it was his fault. So he keeps on experimenting,
hiding. He creates more creatures. Sometimes he sends determined to prove that his augmentation technique really
them out to steal money and supplies. Sometimes he hires could have worked and "it was a risk worth taking."
them out to more mundane criminals. These criminals took PowersfTactics: Dravus himself has no powers; he's a
to calling him "The Monster Maker" or"Dr. Monster," much to normal person. He is, however, a brilliant biologist and
his annoyance. He briefly tried using "ProfessorTherion" as competent surgeon. His only personal weapon is his tran-
his official criminal pseudonym, but nobody understood that quilizer-dart pistol. His creatures, however, are quite power-
"Therion" is Greek for "beast." He finally settled on "The ful and varied. (A few sample creatures are appended
Great Beast." (He is unaware that this was also the pseud- below.) They do the fighting for him.
onym of the notorious self-proclaimed sorcerer Aleister While Dravus' creatures are essentially bright animals,
Crowley.) Dravus usually maintains his mind link to them on missions.
Dravus's basic research continues. He's trying to get cell Not only will he guide his creatures past dangers they can't
samples from super-powered mutants. to study and to use in recognize for themselves (such as high-voltage machinery),
creating his creatures. He still wants to merge natural and he will try to snap them out of Berserks. With his prompting,
synthetic life, too, and prove his plasm can be used to create they may act with more cunning and coordination than
a perfect and powerful humanity. He hasn't had any success heroes expect.
so far, but he's not giving up. He doesn't rely on volunteers.
Appearance: Dravus stand 6'1" but is skinny and weak. He
Quote: "Please stop struggling. This is for Science." keeps his ash-blond hair combed back. Powerful lenses
Personality: Dravus talks very nobly about how his work will make his eyes seem enormous, emphasizing their fanatical
end sickness and extend life, but beneath the idealism gleam. He nearly always wears a white lab coat. He's in his
there's a lot of egotism and resentment. He's always been an early 30s.
1
RE6
~
0 Creatures of the Night 41
Note: It would be appropriate for Dravus eventually to The Acid Dragon looks like a classic dragon from Western
become a Great Beast in truth. This could happen by myth-four legs, bat-like wings, huge teeth and claws, and
accident: he's critically wounded in an assault on his lab, falls shining green scales. Instead of flame, however, it breathes
down a hole with a bunch of his protoplasm and animal cell out a cloud of irritating acid (a trick Dr. Dravus lifted from
samples, and heroes can't find the body, but hours later he's certain insects). While its front paws can grasp and hold
regenerated in his new form. Or his experiments might finally things of a certain size, it needs a DEX roll to succeed.
have succeeded, and he's deliberately rebuilt his body into The Acid Dragon usually begins assaults by the Great
a powerful but bestial form. The Great Beast Mk. II would be Beast's monsters by breathing acid to blind and frighten
super-strong and fast, with claws, fur, horns, super-keen opponents. Normal Flash Defense is no good against this,
senses, etc. but powers or costumes that keep the acid off one's skin and
out of one's eyes will protect against the cloud. (Most
costumes will soak through and so give no protection.) The
( SAMPLE MONSTERS ) acid leaves skin red and itching, like a nettle sting.
ACID DRAGON
175+ Disadvantages
20 Berserk if BODY taken ( 11-/14-)
15 Fear of cramped spaces (Com, Strong)
15 Loyal to Great Beast (Com, Strong)
10 Phys Lim: Clumsy manipulation (DEX roll needed)
30 Susc: 3d6 STUN+ BODY, Alkali put down throat
25 Distinctive Features (can't conceal, causes terror)
42 Cre.atu re..s o f the. Night 0
MANTICORE SPIDERHEAD
A beast made for showy assassinations and picking off This is one of the Great Beast's stranger creations. It looks
defenders, the Manticore has a man's face on a lion's body, like a huge, bald human head crawling on hairy spider-legs.
w ith bat-like wings and a scorpion-like tail. The tail is tipped Its tongue is 3' long and can be used as a somewhat clumsy
with large, poisoned spikes which the manticore can shoot tentacle. It frequently gibbers, moans and laughs.
with great force. (Gradual Effect is a new limitation intro- The Spiderhead's chief attack form is spitting. It can spit
duced in Fantasy Hero. It means the damage is broken into gobs of either a sticky, fibrous slime much like spider web, or
increments applied to the victim over time. In this case, a thinner goo laden with digestive enzymes. It can also try
someone shot by a spike takes Y2d6 Killing damage imme- grabbing an opponent, but while its many legs help it restrain
diately from the poison, another Y2d6 a minute later, the next grabbed victims they do not let it squeeze with greater force
V2d6 a minute after that, and so on. Damage can be stopped or in fact give any other benefit whatsoever.
by a successful Paramedic roll.) The Spiderhead has a larger brain than the Great Beast's
As part of an assault group, the Manticore (under Dr. othercreations, and so it is somewhat more intelligent. It also
Dravus' direction) will hang back and Set and Brace to shoot shares Dr. Dravus' mental link to his other creations and can
at low DCV targets. at least sense the minds of ordinary creatures.
0 Creatures of the N i ght 43
Val Char Cost Combat Stats Val Char Cos t Combat Stats
20 STA 10 OCV: 6+ 20 STA 10 OCV:6
17 DEX 21 DCV: 6 17 DEX 21 DCV: 6
18 CON 16 ECV: 3 18 CON 16 ECV:3
13 BODY 6 Phases: 3, 6,9, 12 13 BODY 6 Phases: 3,6,9, 12
8 INT ·2 8 INT -2
10 EGO 0 Costs 10 EGO 0 Costs
15 PRE 5 15 PRE 5
8 COM ·1 Char: 99 Base: 100 8 COM -1 Char: 94 Base: 100
18 PD 14 + + 17 PD 13 + +
18 ED 14 Powers: 61 Disad: 60 17 ED 13 Powers: 71 Disad: 65
4 SPD 13 = ::. 4 SPD 13 :; ::::
8 REC 0 Tot als: 160 160 8 REC 0 Totals: 165 165
36 END 0 36 END 0
35 STUN 3 32 STUN 0
Dr. Dravus is not completely without a sense of whimsy. Although not the most spectacular or lethal of Dr. Dravus'
When he decided he needed a living battering-ram to smash creations, he has a special fondness for his winged hounds.
through obstacles in robberies, he created an augmented If used in a robbery , their chief job will be carrying off loot in
version of a bighorn sheep. His Battering Ram runs very fast packs strapped to their backs. They also make a good hit
and has a very hard head. (Perhaps he got genes from a squad, at least against normal humans. Even a super who's
mutant kinetic-energy controller as well?) The Battering not invulnerable might feel a bit unnerved with a pack of big,
Ram's one role in combat is to crash into things as fast as it winged dogs baying behind him.
can (i.e. Move Throughs). Flying dogs are built like Mastiffs or Great Danes, but they
A large sheep with overmuscled legs will be rather con- are even larger. Their fur is patterned whatever way struck
spicuous in most environments where there's anything worth Dravus' fancy when he made them.
stealing.
44 Creatures of the Night 0
Background: Thousands of years ago, war ripped through The Monad quickly learned that it had to understand
the galaxy. Whole empires and species destroyed each organic beings, so it found a way to extract information from
other. One of the casualties was a race that excelled in living brains-in effect, to read minds. The new information
robotics. Their spaceships fought with no living being on not only proved strategically useful, it caused a gradual
board. They used powerful robotic monsters as shock troops. change in the Monad's fundamental objectives. The result of
Nor did this race rely on mere brute force: their creations these changes is that the Monad now seeks to join all other
could mimic the appearance of life if need be, and their minds to itself. After all, other races cannot be threats if they
tactical computers learned from experience. are part of the Monad. What's more, the Monad has devel-
When the race was massacred, however, the remaining oped curiosity and even a weird sort of existential angst: it is
war-machines had no one to tell them to quit. They repaired aware of its own limited understanding of existence, and it
the automated factories buried in their ravaged world. The believes the most efficient way to learn is to incorporate
tactical computer designed new robots, new weapons, new whole cultures-science, art, philosophy, everything down
strategies. In less than a century the robots had turned their to individual memories-into its data banks for analysis.
entire star system into a factory complex run by a network of It doesn't even see what it does to conquered worlds as
super-computers forming a single, inconceivable digital in· murder. As it might point out, with maddening mechanical
tellect-the Monad. And then the Monad waited, century patience, every thought and experience of its countless
after century, defending a world that no longer had inhabit- billions of victims endures in its memory. How can they be
ants to defend. dead when every component of their minds is preserved? A
At last the system was invaded. Was it a prospector? A hive-mind independent of any single physical unit, it cannot
ship of archeologists? A criminal on the run? Only the understand that an individual mind is more than a collection
memory-banks of the Monad know for sure. The Monad of isolated memories and opinions.
captured the unknown ship and its crew and took them both PowersfTactics: The Monad is an interstellar network of
apart. It learned that the Galaxy still held other intelli- super-intelligent computers controlling automated factories
gences-potential enemies. The first wave of robot warships and whole armies of robots. It can custom-manufacture
flooded into the galaxy soon after. robots with pretty much whatever powers it can imagine.
The Monad has expanded ever since. It has seeded itself While not itself an innovative researcher. it can probably
in dozens of star systems, turning them into new production steal any scientific discovery made by any alien race it knows
centers. It has been balked at times-but it has never, never about, so its technical resources are the same as any major
been driven back from worlds it has conquered. star empire.
A mother and daughter stood outdoors one night, watch- When the Monad attacks a planet, it starts by landing a
ing for meteors. A brilliant fireball crossed the sky, directly "seeder" probe on the planet or a moon, which grows into a
overhead. Monad base. The base starts manufacturing powerful ro-
"Ooh, look, Janey/ Make a wish!" bots.
In school, Janey had just learned about famine in Africa. The first stage of the assault is devoted to gathering
"I wish, I wish nobody'd ever be hungry and starve to death, information and testing defenses. For this it uses giant robot
ever again/" monsters made to look like living creatures, designed to
The mother smiled and patted the head of her child. delay the planet's inhabitants from figuring out what's really
In the crater where the "meteor" hit, strange machines going on. It can be assumed to start with as many robot
burrow into the dirt The Monad is going to see that Janey's monsters as one likes; three sample monsters are given
wish comes true ... below. The giant monsters cause just enough destruction to
Quote: "You Will Understand When You Are Assimilated triggerthe planet's defensive forces. They also try to capture
Into The Monad." people for the base's computer to study. In the confusion,
Personality: There is more than one way to play the Monad. little probes (plot devices; they aren't written up) will seek out
Most simply, one can present the Monad as Killer Robots computernetworks in the assaulted city, attach themselves
from Outer Space, rather like Fred Saberhogen's "berserk- and start siphoning data.
ers." Or the Monad's goals might have evolved into some- How the Monad proceeds after the initial assaults de-
thing more subtle. It learns, after all. Henceforth it will be pends on the people's response. Since on Earth the re-
assumed that the Monad has gone beyond simplistic ideas sponse will be superheroes, it will try capturing or killing any
of extermination to make the Universe safe for its long-dead supers it can find, using less powerful but less conspicuous
creators. It doesn't want to kill other races anymore, it wants "murderbots." A typical example of a murderbot is given
to absorb them . below. II the monsters and murderbots don't break the native
resistance, the Monad gets sneaky. Just what the Monad will
0 Creatures of the Night 45
try is left to the tender mercies of the GM, but it can disguise forced to accept the wonderful gift of merging with the
a robot agent in the flesh of a captured human. Replacing Monad, but if it hasn't anything to lose it will still make a pitch
leaders with robot doubles or sending "Terminator"-style for itself.
assassins are both possibilities. It might try building super- Since the Monad's mind is spread through the whole base,
weapons, perhaps with the help of human super-scientists one has to pretty much destroy the entire underground base,
who don't know who their new partner/employer really is. or it will rebuild itself and start over again.
The Monad will never resort to weapons of mass extermi- If the Monad base is completely destroyed, the Monad will
nation such as nukes. It can stand losing a few dozen or conclude that humanity is too irrational and too tough to
hundred life-experience files, but not millions. It also doesn't conquer ... for now.
want to destroy major sources of cultural information such as Appearance: Monad robots and androids can look like
libraries and museums. (A clever detective might notice this anything. The ones given below are merely examples. From
curious bit of "luck" after a Monad monster's "mindless inside, the base is entirely a coldly efficient, ultra-high-tech
rampage.") automated factory, all gleaming metal and ceramic. There's
Monad units try not to lead Earth's defenders back to the just enougl1 free space for assembly robots and transport
Monad base, but heroes are bound to find it eventually. Here carts to move. Below it all, more robots dig mine shafts for
the Monad will have dozens of robots and drones to defend raw materials; these are considered part of the base's
itself. If all else fai ls, the Monad will try talking its way out. It grounds.
has learned through experience that organics need to be
46 Creatures of the Night 0
Val Char Cost Combat Stats Val Char Cost Combat Stats
75* STA 20 OCV: 7+ 75• STA 20 OCV: 6+
21 DEX 33 DCV: 1* 18 DEX 24 DCV: o•
30 CON 40 ECV:3 30 CON 40 ECV:3
30* BODY 22 Phases:3,6,9, 12 40* BODY 22 Phases:3,6,9, 12
8 INT -2 8 INT ·2
8 EGO -4 Costs 8 EGO ·4 Costs
40 PRE 30 40 PRE 30
6 COM -2 Char: 226 Base: 100 2 COM ·4 Char: 218 Base: 100
31 PD 25 + + 31 PD 25 + +
25 ED 19 Powers: 485 Dlsad: 611 25 ED 19 Powers: 492 DIsad: 61 o
4
30
SPD
REC
9
36 Totals:
=
711 711
4
30
SPD
REC
12
36 Totals: 710 710
60 END 0 60 END 0
60* STUN 0 • Bonus for Growth added in 60• STUN 0 • Bonus for Growth added in
shark. The central eye glows and can fire laser beams or
THREE-EYED REPTILE defocus to fire blinding bursts of light. Unlike the other
monsters, it can pick things up and th row th in gs with its paws.
but it needs a DEX roll to do such feats successfully. It should
Val Char Cost Combat Stats manage to throw a tank or two in tile course of a rampage,
80" STA 10 ·-oev: 6+ however. (Why? Again, it's traditional. Another tradition ls-
18 DEX 24 OCV: ·2* that really lethal ranged attacks like the eye laser are only
30 CON 40 ECV:3 used against targets where their destructive capacity can be
35* BODY 26 Phases:3,6,9, 12 shown off-tanks, skyscrapers, and heroes tough enough to
8 INT ·2 survive, if only just barely. Giant monsters are stupid that
8 EGO ·4 Costs way.)
40 PRE 30
4 COM ·3 Char: 225 Base: 100
35 PD 31 + +
27 ED 21 Powers: 480 Olsad: 605 ANDROID MURDERBOT
4 SPD 12
30 REC 40 Totals: 705 705
60 END 0 Val Char Cost Combat Stats
60" STUN 0
45 STA 35 OCV: 10
Cost Powers ENO 29 DEX 57 OCV: 10
75 Attack Multipower (75 pt pool)
o· CON -20 ECV: N/A
15 BODY 10 Phases:2,4,6, 8, 10, 12
7u 4d6 (8d6 w/STR) HKA, 1/2 END [Bite/Claw/Stomp] 3+ 18 INT 8
I Su 5d6 AKA, x2 END (·1/2) [Eye Laser] 14 O* EGO 0 Costs
Su 4d6 Flash, Nonselectlve 4• Radius Area Effect, x2 25 PRE 15
END [Flare) 14 10 COM 0 Char: 143 Base: 100
27 1 Hex Area on STA. 0 END , 10" PD 21 + +
I Added Only for Strike/Haymaker 10" ED 28 Powers: 277 Olsad: 320
25 Damage Resistance (25 PD/15 ED), Hardened
15 Hardened Defenses (35 PD/27 ED)
6 SPD 21 = =
O* REC ·22 Totals: 420 420
60
18
75% Physical, 50% Energy Damage Reduction
Mental Defense (20)
o· END ·10
o• STUN 0 •Automaton
'
I
6.
80
1 BODY Regeneration per ho!Jr
60 pts Growth (400,000 kg, -8 DCV, +8 PER, Cost Powers ENO
-12 KB, +8" reach), 0 END, Persistent, Always On
34 Full Life Support, Usable w/4 Others (+ 1), 45 Automaton: Takes No STUN (loses 10 STA,
Only on Swallowed victims(-%) 1 Power or 1 SPD if takes BODY)
It 38 High-Range Radio Hearing, Ranged Detect 62 Multipower (62 pt pool)
Radiation, UV Vision, +6 Telescopic Vision, 3u 4d6 Entangle DEF 4, Takes No Damage from
+2 PER Rolls Attack (+112) [Shoot Hands] [4c)
16 +8" Running (12' total) 1/5" 2u 5d6 NND [Life Support: Self-Contained
27 20 STA TK, Selective, 1 Hex Area Effect, 1/2 END, Breathing], 1 Hex Area, No Range [Exhale Gas) [4c]
No Range, Only on Swallowed Victims(-%) 3 3u 2d6+ 1 AKA ,AP, OAF (Laser Revolver) [32c]
11 6d6 Telepathy, No Range Only on Swallowed 6u 20" Teleport, 0 END
Victims held by TK (·¥2) 3 15 EC-Robot Frame Under Human Skin
3 Bump of Direction a-15" 10 PD, 10 ED Damage Resistance (10 PD/10 ED)
2 AK: Target City 11· b·22 5" Stretching, o END
2 Language: Fluent English C· 5 Shape Shift, any humanoid, 0 END,
8 + 1 Level w/ Any Combat Must kill human to change appearance (-1),
6 +4 Levels w/ Eye Laser AMod 5 minutes Extra Time (·1)
30 Full Life Support
100+ Disadvantages 5 Sight Flash Defense (5)
6 1 BODY Regeneration per hour
20 Berserk if lose contact w/Monad (11·/11·) 22 0 END on STA
1O Berserk if BODY taken (8-/11-) 16 Radio Listen & Transmit, UV Vision,
20 Obedfence to Monad (Com, Total) +6 Telescopic Vision
15 Tries to restore lost contact w/Monad (if not berserk) 12 +4" Running, O END
(Com, Strong) 8 Computer Brain:
,15 Phys Lim: Mute (except for roars) (32) Skills: Combat Driving 15·, Detective Work 13·,
. 10 Phys Lim: Clumsy, DEX Roll for Manipulation Disguise11-, Tactics 13·, Tracking 13·, AK: Target
~5 Distinctive Features (Can't conceal, extreme reaction) City 11·, KS: Target Hero 11 ·, KS: Target Hero's
15 Hunted l:ly Government Supers, Army 11 • Culture 11-, Language: perfect English,
475 Villain Bonus PS: Policeman 11 ·, Transportation Fam: Small
Ground Vehicles, Fam w/ Small Arms,
The most massive of the sample monsters, this looks like energy Weapons .
(9) Programs: Search for Target, Act Like Policeman,
a classic tyrannosaur-like Japanese reptile, except it has Act Like Normal Person, Select Strategy, Attack,
three eyes: one big eye in the middle of its forehead, and two Strategic Retreat, Drive Car, Obtain Replacement
smaller eyes on projections reminiscent of a hammerhead Weapons, Radio Base for Help
0 Creatures of the Night 49
100+ Disadvantages
BLACK SCORPION MURDERBOT
30 Berserk when head hit (14·/ 8·)
15 Phys Lim: STUN-Only electromagnetic attacks
do BODY Val Char Cost Combat Stats
5 _phys Lim: No taste/smell or touch
15 Distinctive Features (easily concealeu, 35• STA 10 OCV:7
extreme reaction) 20 DEX 30 DCV: 7
255 Villain Bonus 0 CON -20t ECV: N/A
12· BODY o• Phases:3, 5,8, 10, 12
15 INT 5
The android assassin is one of the Monad's nastier meth· 0 EGO 0 Costs
ods. It is used as a weapon of last resort against heroes too 25 PRE 15
tough for a Black Scorpion murderbot to handle. The Monad 2 COM -4 Char: 81 Base: 100
10· PD 21t + +
base builds a powerful android and clothes it in the flesh of 10· ED 26t Powers: 254 Dlsad: 215
a captured human and the clothes of a policeman. The 5 SPD 20 .
Monad programs the android with every skill the Monad can 0 REC ·12t Totals: 315 315
manage to help the android pass for a real poriceman. If the 0 END ·10t • Includes Bonuses from Growth/Density
Monad managed to capture a real policeman earlier, the 0 STUN Ot t Automaton
assassin will have that unlucky officer's face, uniform and
memories. Then the android tries to get near its target heroes Cost Powers END
and kill those judged too tough to capture. (The Monad 45 Automaton: Takes No STUN
prefers captures to kills, but will only have its minions capture 30 Weapons Multipower (30 pt pool)
and carry back heroes it believes cannot break free to 3u 1d6+1 (21hd6 w/STR} HKA, 0 END [Claws]
escape or cause havoc.) 3u Tail Pellet Gun: 1d6 AKA Autofire,
In addition to great speed and strength, the android carries [Tail Pellet Gun [60c]
a laser pistol made to look like a police revolver. It can also 3u Mouth Bayonet Gun: 2d6 AKA
[Mouth Bayonet Gun] [16c]
breathe out clouds of knockout gas and shoot its hands: the
15 EC-Robot Powers
fingers lengthen into long metal cables that wrap around the a-10 10 pts Density Increase + 5 pis Grow1h (800 kg, "
target while another hand pops out of the android's arm. -2 KB), 0 END, Persistent, Always On i.
Initially there is nothing obviously "wrong" about the an- b·15t Damage Resistance (10 PD/10 ED) ""t.;';t
droid policeman. The first attack should be a complete c-15 +10" Running (16" total), 0 END
surprise. Afterward, the android must use its Disguise skill to 30 Full Life Support •
repair any damage, and it won't do as good a job as the base 5 Flash Defense (5)
did. The damage to the android's appearance will accumu· 17 0 END on STA
late, making it easier to spot. Wilen its disguise is too 10 35 STA Clinging
damaged to be useful, however, the android will murder 20 360 Degree Vision, IA V1Sion, Radio listen & Transmit
5 Extra Limbs
someone and take a new skin.
8 Computer Brain:
The android's greatest vulnerability is its head. Like a (30) AK: Target City 11 ·, KS: Target Hero 11·,
human, the android has its computer "brain" in its head. Not KS: Target Hero's Culture 11·, Language: fluent •
only will a blow to its head cause the skin to tear, showing the English, Security Systems 1~. Shadowing 13-, '
metal and crystal underneath, it will almost certainly trigger Stealth 13·, Tactics 12·
a berserk rampage. On the other hand, head blows are more (8) Programs: Seek Target, Attack Target, Check tor .
likely to do real harm to the thing. Security Systems, Disarm Security Systems,
Underneath its stolen flesh, the android looks like a Follow Person, Select Time for Attack, Strategic
skinned human made of silvery metal, even to muscles of Retreat, Radio Base for Help
metal fibers. The top of its head is a crystal dome in which Disadvantages I;
100+
one can see the close-packed circuitry of its brain, winking
with tiny monitor lights. 20 Berserk if BODY taken (8-/8·)
15 Phys Lim: STUN-Only Electromagnetic Attacks can do
BODY
15 Phys Lim: Mute, only communicates by radio code
10 Phys Lim: No hearing, taste/smell, touch
25 Distinctive Features (can't conceal, causes terror)
130 Villain Bonus
BLACK FANG
CAI MAN
Skills his palm over the flame of a candle, closer and closer, and
beat Gregorio if he cried out. He loved his son, he explained,
4 Contact: Colombian drug cartel 13· and didn't want him to grow up a weakling.
3 Breakfall 14· He need not have worried. Gregorio grew up big and
3 Climbing 14-
3 Stealth 14·
strong, and by the time he was fourteen his father did not
2 KS: Colombian Organized Crime 11- dare hold his hand in the flame or beat him. Gregorio found
9 +3 w/ levels Boxing work in the gangs as a hired bully. He took to it well. He
ignored all pain-his own or anyone else's. He became a
100+ Disadvantages formidable brawler.
25 Berserk when BODY taken (14·/ 1H When the Colombian government decided the drug lords
25 Berserk when STUN taken (11 ·/11 · ) had to be brought down , this "betrayal" outraged the drug
20 Hates leaving opponent alive (V Com, Strong) lords. Word passed through the criminal grapevine that the
15 Won't refuse a fight (Com, Strong) cartel was recruiting the strongest, nastiest thugs in all
10 Hates legal authority (Com) Colombia. Nobody needed to say that the rewards would be
20 Distinctive Features (hard to conceal, causes horror) great.
10 Reputation 8· Extreme (vicious, cannibalistic killer) Gregorio applied. He made it past the initial screenings
10 Hunted by Colombian Government 11- with ease. The final test was a brawl, each against all, no
10 Hunted by Colombian or DEA-Supported hero 8·
27 Villain Bonus
holds barred. The winner would be augmented (at great
expense to the cartel) by Dr. Black. Gregorio won; his final
rival stabbed him with a palmed knife and broke or1e of
Background: Did Gregorio Sanchez choose his life? Gregorio's arms, but Gregorio won by ripping his opponent's
Gregorio was born and raised in Medellin, Colombia, a city throat out with his teeth. For this feat the drug-lord judges
where crime was king: first the emerald smugglers, then the admiringly named him "El Caiman," after the fierce alligator-
cocaine and marijuana barons. Gregorio's father was Or\e of like reptile of South America.
Medel lin's poor, an unskilled laborer who spent more of his Gregorio liked his new name. He liked it so much that he
pay on coca-leaf cigarettes and whiskey than he did on his asked Dr. Black to make a few more changes than the drug
family. But he showed some concern for his son's future well- lords had ordered, and the doctor agreed. When the drug
being; every now and then he would make little Gregorio hold lords saw Gregorio again his skin was scaled and leathery,
0 Creatures of the Nf ght 57
his nails were lengthened into claws and his teeth had
become fangs. He was truly a human caiman. DECAY
Gregorio has enjoyed being the cartel's assassin. He
spends his days gruesomely murdering policemen and civil
servants. Sometimes he visits America to hunt Drug En- Val Char Cost Combat Stats
forcement Agency officers, or on courtesy loans to other 30 STA 20 OCV:7
crime syndicates. He's proud to be the toughest man in 21 DEX 33 DCV: 7
Colombia. His father would have been proud too-except 30 CON 40 EG0: 7
that when Gregorio visited his parents to tell them of his good 15 BODY 10 Phases:3,5,8, 10, 12
fortune, his father didn't recognize the monster in the door- 10 INT 0
way as his son, attacked him with a knife, and Gregorio killed 20 EGO 20 Costs
33 PRE 23
his father by reflex.
2 COM -4 Char: 211 Base: 100
It didn't bother Gregorio much. 31 PD 25 + +
Quote: "RRAARRR!" 31 ED 25 Powers: 263 Disad: 374
Personality: El Caiman has renounced his human name 5 SPD 19
12 REC 0 Totals: 474 474
and, in fact, renounced humanity. He doesn't talk much 60 END 0
anymore, preferring bestial roars. He has become a canni- 45 STUN 0
bal, swallowing the chunks he bites out of victims. Since he's
the cartel's top enforcer, there are women who offer them- Cost Powers END
selves to him; he spurns them, preferring to satisfy his bouts 150 Disintegration Multipower (150 pt pool)
of lust through rape. Usually he kills the women afterward, a 15u 3d6 Body+ 2d6 CON Drain,
method he recommends for ensuring "no strings attached" Recover 5 pts/week(+1Y2), 0 END
relationships. He's proud to be a monster. His ambition is to 15u 2Y2d6 BODY + 2d6 CON Drain,
be the toughest, meanest, most macho monster in the world. Recover 5 pts/week Ranged, Y2 END 7
Powers/Tactics: Thanks to Or. Black's biochemical, surgi- 12 Damage Resistance (1O PD/1 O ED), Hardened
cal and cybernetic modifications, Caiman is super-strong 20 Regeneration, 2 BODY per turn
7 Missile Deflection vs. Thrown objects and Bullets,
and super-tough, with claws and fangs that can rend steel. Costs x2 END 2
He adds skill at street-style boxing. Like his namesake, he's 10 Power Defense (10)
also quite at home in the water. 21 Life Support: Self-Contained Breathing, Need not
Caiman relies on ferocity, not technique. He berserks Eat, Sleep or Excrete, Immune to Disease & Aging
easily, and doesn't mind if he kills a few thugs on his own 10 Sense life, Ranged
side. Basically, Caiman leaps at his target and tries to rip it 3 Stealth 13·
to shreds and smash the shreds into jelly.
100+ Disadvantages
Appearance: Caiman stands 7'2" and weighs 380 lbs; he is
very heavily built. His dark greenish-brown hide is ridgedand 15 Enraged if BODY taken ( 14-/11-)
scaled like an alligator's. His jaws thrustforward in a manner 20 Wants to kill (V Com, Strong)
20 Vengeful (V Com, Strong)
that's almost ape-like, with a pair of canine teeth jutting over
10 Hates Anything anyone else values (Com)
his tower lip. Since his change he's made a point of never 20 Distinctive Features (hard to conceal, causes horror)
wearing more than swim trunks. 15 Rep 11-, Extreme- Walking death
15 Hunted by FBI 11 •
15 Hunted by hero team 8-
10 Hunted by supernatural hero 8-
10 Public ID
224 Villain Bonus
Skills
3 Deduction 14-
3 Forensic Medicine 14-
6 KS: Brilliant Biochemists 14-, Organized Crime 11-
3 Paramedic 14-
3 PS: Surgeon 14- {based on INT)
3 Scientist
16 Sciences: Biochemistry, Biology, Bionics, Chemistry,
Genetics, Neurology, Pharmacology,
Radiology 14- (based on INT)
6 +2 OCV w/ Only to cancel hit location penalties
100+ Disadvantages
15 Ruthless {V Com)
15 Pursues research {Com, Strong)
10 Avoids open combat (Com)
10 Still responds to medical emergencies as a doctor
(Com)
15 Phys Lim: Addicted to death
20 Normal Characteristic Maxima
5 Age 40+
10 Reputation 8-, Extreme (murderous genius)
15 Hunted by FBI (or analogous agency) 11 -
10 Hunted by villain he betrayed 8-
56 Villain Bonus
60 Creatures of the Night 0
Black's downfall came when he turned to the problem of Quote: "Operation successful-patient dead."
d~ath, when the brain's electrochemical stew stops bub- Personality: Dr. Black is cool as ice. As a surgeon. he had
bling; he sought only to save lives. He found that at the !O keep a clear head under extraordinary pressure; he is still
moment of brain death, his lab animals released tiny quan- immune to panic, and ruthlessly rational. Unlike most ad-
tities of a substance which only very sensitive. exotic instru- dicts, he does not become desperate and careless from
ments could detect. Black wasn't even sure it was matter in ~ithdrawal. If kept from satisfying his craving for death, he
any normal sense. In the terminal ward of the hospital where i ust becomes more ruthless, more cunning.
he worked, he found that humans released much larger And yet he has a peculiarly compartmentalized morality.
quantities of this elusive Substance X. This convinced Black He can kill an innocent bystander without a second thought
that Substance X was connected with thought. if he needs to boost his speed and intellect, but if anyone calls
Substance X hardly reacted at all with normal chemicals, for a doctor when he's not on a criminal job and his addiction
he thought, but living nerves produced and used it. Perhaps has been recently satisfied, he will hurry to the scene and do
a living organism could detect Substance X if its own chemi- his best to help, just from habit.
cal-sensing nerves were altered; it would sme//Substance X. For the most part. Black satisfies his addiction by killing
A year of research on nerve tissue cultures produced a vagrants and other "undesirables" who won't be missed.
formula that seemed to work. Impatient and sure of success, "Think of it as social triage," he says.
Dr. Black used the formula on himself. Then he killed a lab
rat and sniffed. Was that a faint, flowery scent? He couldn't PowersfTactics: Dr. Black's only innate power is his ability
be sure. Then he was called to the operating theater-a to boost his DEX. SPD and INT by killing someone. His real
sudden hemorrhage, expert assistance needed, stat! Dr. power is his knowledge. His addiction-augmented intellect
Black worked like a madman to save the patient. He hardly has raised his knowledge of biology and biochemistry far
heard the nurse say, "No pulse." Then- beyond that of the general scientific community. He can
Ecstasy. A scent like all the perfumes in the world. Light- create chemical weaponry for nearly any purpose. He can
ning in his brain. And, just before he fainted , a novel surgical even surgically and chemically give people super-powers,
procedure that could have saved the patient. as he has done with Caiman (q.v.); his price for this is
Dr. Black haunted the terminal ward after that. He man- fantastic, and he insists on cash. but enough crime syndi-
aged to be present at more deaths. Each death brought the cates are willing to pay to make this an important source of
ecstatic odor and a brilliant idea. He didn't faint those times; Black's income.
in fact, he felt incredibly more quick and alert, like a hum- His knowledge of human anatomy also enables Dr. Black
mingbird in a world of tortoises. A Nobel Prize seemed to strike with his hands and scalpel at pressure points, nerve
certain. centers and places where a small wound can be deadly.
Then. when another emergency patient died under his Unlike many supervillains, Dr. Black has no desires for
scalpel, he suddenly realized that he had unconsciously vengeance, power or glory. Only two things drive him: his
botched the operation, but so cleverly that no one would death addiction and his research. When he attempts robber-
notice anything wrong. The rush he got from Substance X ies or kidnappings. or assists in a master villain's plot, he's
was more addictive than crack or heroin, and he was already after money or some rare substance or information he needs
hooked. He would sabotage more operations if he stayed a for his experiments or some special job. If faced with super-
~~rgeon. Eventually he would be caught. and he would go to
heroes, he will do anything he can to escape-including
1a1I. No regular opportunities for Substance X in jail. There killing one of his own hired thugs to boost his abilities.
was no place in legal society for a death addict. He must Appearance: Dr. Black stands 6' even. He's in quite good
become a career criminal. shape for a man in his forties, still slender, his face unlined.
And so he did. One night he looted the hospital of valuable His gray hair is always neatly combed and his face clean-
drugs and chemicals. and dropped out of sight. The next shaven. Although not actually handsome, he is very distin-
anyone knew, he had become organized crime's leading guished-looking. On a "job" he wears black shoes, trousers
provider of unusual medical and biochemical services. He and short-sleeved shirt, with black gloves and a black
even participates in criminal plots directly, on his own or as surgical face-mask which protects him from inhaled gasses.
part of a group. His cool nerve and remarkable skills have He carries pellets, gas capsules and other small chemical
become much appreciated. weapons in compartments on his belt or in black wristbands.
0 Creat\Jre.s of the N•ght 61
100+ Disadvantages
FEAR MONGER
20 Cowardice (V Com, Strong)
15 Must create appropriate "plotline" (Com, Strong)
Val Char Cost Combat Stats 10 Fascination w/ Fear & Grotesquery (UnCom, Strong)
20 Normal Characteristic Maxima
10 STR 0 OCV:6 10 Reputation 8-, Extreme: Scares people to death
17 DEX 21 DCV: 6 5 Watched by Crime Syndicate, 8· (As Pow)
10 CON 0 ECV: 5 15 Hunted by FBI 11-
10 BODY 0 Phases:4,8, 12 15 Secret ID
18 INT 8 81 Villain Bonus
15 EGO 10 Costs
18 PRE 8
10 COM 0 Char: 52 Base: 100 Background: Ever since he was a child, Oscar Tarnborg
2 PD 0 + + loved to scare people. No babysitter ever worked for the
2 ED 0 Powers: 241 DI sad: 193 Tarnborgs twice. The family dog was a nervous wreck. The
3 SPD 5 ;::; :::
neighborhood children dared each other to visit the Tarnborg
4 REC 0 Totals: 293 293 house on Halloween.
20 END 0
When he grew up, Oscar found his niche as a special
20 STUN 0
effects creator for horror movies. He also tried writing screen-
Cost Powers END plays, but studios wouldn't accept them; although producers
- liked the gore and grotesquery Oscar wrote in, they found his
18 EC-Hidden Gadgets, Bulky llF (-3A),
Must emplace in advance (·V2) plots morally disturbing (and it isn't easy to disturb a Holly-
a-19 5d6 Mind Control, Nonverbal (+1.4), Indirect(+%), wood producer).
Invisible to Mental Senses (+V2), O END, Oscar also sought ways to make his effects more realistic
7" Radius Area Effect, and forceful. He became an expert at hiding machinery
Fixed Command: Fear (-V2) [Fear Inducers] inside things to animate them. He loved holography. He even
b-28 Images vs. Sight, Hearing, Smell, Touch, -4 PER,
2" Radius, Indirect (+1/4), No Range Mod,
o END [Effects Gadgets)
c-16 8d6 Mental Illusions, Invisible to Mental
Senses (+V2), Indirect (+V2), Acts vs. Normal CV
but only Mental Defense protects (·1.4) [Drugs) (16c)
d-21 15 STR Telekinesis, Fine Manipulation,
Indirect(+%), No Range Mod, 0 END (Mechanisms]
e-11 1d6+1 major Transform to Human to Any mental
state (+1.4), Cumulative, Indirect (+V2),
Invisible to Normal Senses (+3A), 0 END,
6" Radius Area Effect, 1 minute Extra Time (-1%)
[Catatonia/Brainwashing/Etc]
20 Clairsentience, Normal & IR Vision, Normal
Hearing, 0 END, Bulky llF [Hidden Cameras,
Microphones], Only where equipment placed in
advance (-%)
3 IR Vision, Bulky llF (Cameras)
25 8d6 Mind Control, Nonverbal (+1.4), Invisible to
Mental Senses (+V2), IAF (Pocket Fear Inducer),
Fixed Command: Fear (-V2),
Acts vs. Normal CV (-1/4) [Sc)
13 +2 SPD, Only for controlling hidden equipment (-V2)
Skills
4 Contact: Crime Syndicate 13-
3 Bugging 13-
3 Conversation 13-
7 Disguise 13-
7 Electronics 13-
3 Interrogation 13-
5 KS: Horror Films & Fiction 14-
3 Lockpicking 13-
7 Mechanics 13-
3 Persuasion 13-
5 PS: Special Effects 14-
5 Science: Psychology 14-
3 Security Systems 13-
9 +3 Levels w/ Conversation/Interrogation/Persuasion
62 Creatures of the N•ght 0
discovered a way to use ultrasonics and infrasonics (sound Powers/Tactics: Oscar Tarnborg is a genius at designing
too high· or low-pitched for humans to hear) to stimulate fear. and building special-effects machinery. He uses hologra·
For a short time, the movie industry was agog over phy, hidden speakers and other tricks to change the environ-
"phobosonics," until audience tests showed that it occasion- ment and create illusions and phony horrors such as bleed-
ally triggered heart attacks. Phobosonics was banned by ing walls. Robot mechanisms permit ordinary objects and
Federal law. make-believe monsters to move, grab and attack.
Oscar became more and more frustrated working in Hol- Concealed jets can spray victims w ith skin-absorbed
lywood. He felt like a race car forced to putt along at horse- hallucinogens without their knowing it. Alone, these drugs
and-buggy speeds. He wanted to build something more than can cause frightening hallucinations-they are tainted to
the tame little fears the studios would permit. make sure the victim has a "bad trip"-but Tarnborg can't
People other than the studios, however, were interested in control what the hallucination will actually be. In concert with
phobosonics. One day Oscar came home to discover that his his effects machines, the drugs make everything seem more
handmade security system had caught a pair of burglars. real; the holographic horrors can really hurt people (cosmetic
They were nearly catatonic: Oscar's system used all his change to surroundings, can do STUN for EGO+ 1o effect).
technologies of terror. Once he got the burglars to speak, he Finally, phobosonic speakers induce blind panic; even
found they were from the local crime syndicate. They had without the drugs, Tarnborg's illusions are realistic enough
been sent to steal Oscar's phobosonics notes. that terror is an "action the victim is inclined to do anyway!"
That set Oscar thinking. Somebody wanted to turn his Using all these devices together, Tarnborg can terrify victims
discovery to criminal ends. Then again, that somebody into catatonia, drive them to suicide or brainwash them (all
wanted to cause some serious fear, just like he did. Oscar's variations on Transform). People with heart conditions may
artistic passion overpowered his moral scruples in about five have heart attacks, but Tarnborg can't produce this on
seconds. Oscar packed a suitcase full of holographic and command-yet. Tarnborg controls everything long-distance
phobosonics gear and told the burglars to take him to their by radio or hidden wires, and monitors through hidden
boss. He had a proposition for them. cameras and microphones.
Oscar doesn't work much for the studios anymore. He's While Tarnborg's hologram projectors , speakers and
found a more satisfying career as the Fearmonger, assassin mechanisms are tiny and unobtrusive, the control machinery
and persuader for the Mob. They pay him to scare people- is quite bulky. He keeps it in a van or sets it up in a nearby
to death. building. It has a further limitation that Tarnborg and his
Quote: "Listen to them screaming! What music!" accomplices must break into a victim's home to install his
gadgetry beforehand.
Personality: The Fearmonger is a malevolent artist of the
Tarnborg himself is incompetent as a brawler, though he's
macabre. His ruling passion is creating fear for its own sake;
fairly slippery at running away. In the event of any personal
the money he's paid is incidental. He hates to spring his
confrontation, he carries a small battery-powered phobosonic
technological horror show on victims as a complete surprise.
projector disguised as a calculator. More importantly, he has
Instead he makes his House of Horrors the culmination of a
an uncanny skill at finding out people's phobias and insecu-
sequence of weird events and cryptic warnings (delivered
rities, and using them to get people to do what he wants.
through minor criminals drafted as actors) to put the victim in
the right frame of mind. Appearance: Tarnborg is 5'9" and weighs 170 lbs. He has
For instance, if he plans to make Killer Appliances (q.v.) a gaunt, angular face that lends itself to sinister expressions.
the center of a murder, he will make sure the victim encoun- Since beginning work as the Fearmonger, he has taken to
ters a "streetcorner lunatic" ranting about machines taking dressing in black suits on the job, with a black Dracula-style
over the world, then sees a magazine article about micro- cape when he meets Mob bosses.
chips in appliances, then glimpses vacuum cleaners in a
store window turn to look at him, and finally has a mysterious
appliance-related accident or two before the main show.
0 Creatures of the Night 63
FOUR EYES
HELL RIDER
100+ Disadvantages
KOBOLD
10 1Y2x Effect from Flash attacks
10 Enraged when thwarted ( 11-/14-)
Val Char Cost Combat Stats 10 Blind in bright light w/out goggles
20 Tries to humiliate opponents (V Com, Strong)
15 STA 5 OCV:9 15 Crimes must be spectacular and grotesque (V Com)
28 DEX 54 DCV:9 15 Vengeful (V Com)
20 CON 20 ECV: 6 10 Susc: 1d6 STUN each phase Kobold is blind from a
12 BODY 4 Phases:3.5.8. 10. 12 Flash attack.
23 INT 13 15 Distinctive features (hard to conceal, causes fear)
18 EGO 16 Costs 20 Reputation 14- Extreme (malignant Nazi master villain)
25 PRE 15 15 Hunted by most Government law enforcement
2 COM -4 Char: 156 Base: 100 agencies 11-
13 PD 10 + + 15 Hunted by hero team 8-
13 ED 9 Powers: 330 Dlsad: 386 10 Hunted by villain he betrayed 8-
5 SPD 12 ::::
10 Hunted by German hero 8-
8 REC 2 Totals: 486 486 211 Villain Bonus
40 END 0
30 STUN 0
100+ Disadvantages
LADY TWILIGHT
20 11/2x STUN & BODY from Wooden Weapons
10 11/2x STUN from Blow struck w/Holy Symbol
Val Char Cost Combat Stats 20 Fear of Holy Symbols & Places {Com, Total)
20 Toys with enemies {V Com, Strong)
28 STA 18 OCV: 7
10 Dislike of gar1ic, mirrors (Uncom, Strong)
20 DEX 30 DCV: 7
10 Loves luxury and beauty {Com)
23 CON 26 ECV: 7
12 4 1S Phys Lim: Can't enter dwelling where never invited
BODY Phases:3,5,8, 10, 12
1S Phys Lim: Must drink blood, rest on native soil, etc.
18 INT 8 30 Susc: 1d6 STUN + BODY/phase from Full Sunlight or
20 EGO 20 Costs Running Water
25 PAE 15 10 Susc: 1d6 STUN/phase from Contact w/Holy Symbol
14 COM 2 Char: 186 Base: 100 or Place
2S PD 19 + + 10 Susc: 1d6 STA Drain/turn, Being on Holy Ground
2S ED 20 Powers: 2S7 Di sad: 343
1S Distinctive Features, easily concealed, extreme reaction
s SPD 20 = = 1S Reputation 11-, Extreme {as vampire, if not individual)
12 REC 2 Totals: 443 443
10 Hunted by hero-level vampire hunters 11-
46 END 0 15 Secret ID
40 STUN 2 118 Villain Bonus
Cost Powers END
75 Multipower {75 pt pool) Background: 1894. The fin de siecle era is in full swing.
Su 12d6 Mind Control, Y2 END, Max Range 4", Paris glitters as much with art as with gaslight, inviting all to
{·V.) Must see vampire's eyes {·V.) [Mesmerize] 3 share in the city's pleasures with no thought for tomorrow.
4u 12d6 Mind Control, Nonverbal {+V.), Max Range 4", Yet there is more than a hint of madness in the city's delights
Must see vampire's eyes, and in the verses of poets who proudly call themselves
Fixed Command: Don't Move [Paralyze] 7 "Decadents," a taste of rot amid the sweetness.
3u Enthrallment Kiss: 3d6+ 1 major Transform Human Charlene de Mauvaissoir sips hashish-spiked brandy with
to slave, Acts vs. EGO, Cumulative, No Range, the most fascinating man she's ever met (she has known so
1 phase Extra Time, Concentrate {1/2 DCV),
many, and her not yet thirty), a pale Spaniard called Antonio
Only vs. men {·1/2) [Enthrallment Kiss] 7
3u 21/2d6 CON Drain, Recover 1 CON/2 weeks, !12 END, El Cazador. A friend told her that her lover's name meant
Only if 1d6 AP KA could penetrate resistant PD {-1/2), "Antonio, the Stalker," but Charlene does not rememberthat.
1 phase Extra Time, Concentrate {1/2 DCV) [Bite] 3 Nor does she remember what they did the night before-
4u 1" Darkness vs. all vision, Uncontrolled, Continuous, much to her disappointment. It must have been magnificent,
0 END, Personal Immunity, Only in places bats judging by how tired she was when she woke early the next
could reach (-1/.i), up to 1 turn arrival afternoon. She does remember his hands, slender but very
delay {·1/2) [Call Bat Swarm] strong, and his kisses like fire moving from her lips to her
3u 2d6 DEX Suppress NND [Being in a frictionless area throat. .. She hopes that this night she will remember.
or Powered Armor], Uncontrolled, O END, She never even noticed the two small punctures on her
Nonselective 1 Hex Area, Only where rats could be,
neck.
Possible delays; +Y2d6 AKA Uncontrolled Continuous
0 END Nonselective 1 Hex Area, Reduced This year. From the air at nightthe city looks very much like
Penetration, Above limits [Call Rat Packs) any other- the same skyscrapers spangled with lights, the
4u 16 x SO pt Summon Feral Dogs, Y2 END, Only where same cars on the same freeways, driven by the same people
dogs could go, Possible delays [Call Feral Dogs] 3 with the same petty hopes, fears, lusts and greeds, each one
Su Desolid, not vs. area energy attacks, O END alone amid the teeming thousands. In this city, as in so many
+ 7" Flight [Mist form] 1/S" cities, there are many who live by night. She will not be too
4u 3 levels Shrinking {+6 DCV, -6 PER, +9 KB)+ 1S" conspicuous.
Flight [Bat form] 1/5" The truck meets her at the airport, as her agent had
22 Transmit Vampirism: 2d6 major Transform Human promised. She has a lot of baggage-chiefly several long,
to Vampire, Cumulative, O END, linked to Bite, Bite
limitations {·1 1/.i) (Transmit Vampirism] heavy boxes. The driver is strong and quite handsome, in a
7 Damage Resistance {10 PD/10 ED) rough sort of way; she catches his eye and he smiles a big,
Not vs. Wood {-1/2) sappy smile. When they reach the old mansion her agent had
20 Regeneration, 2 BODY per turn bought, he doesn't notice anything odd in how easily she
16 Life Support: Self-Contained Breathing, carries boxes that he must strain to lift. He's still smiling when
Immune to Disease & Aging she bites his neck.
14 IA vision, Ultrasonic Hearing, +2 PER Rolls Tonight. The tip had been good; the Champions are
raiding one of the biggest gangland meetings in the city's
Skills
history. While the Champions fight the gangs' supervillain
3, 3 Acting 14·, Stealth 13- enforcers, however, some of the leaders flee. Quantum
7 Disguise 13· breaks away to chase them down. As she cruises above the
3 Streetwise 13- streets, she hears a scream-only a few blocks away. She
10 KS: Art 12-, Jewelry 12·, Organized Crime 11 • flies there in seconds. She finds the Capo sprawled in the
2 AK: The City 11-
middle of the street crossing. He's dead, his neck broken. But
1O Headquarters {SO pt reserve)
30 16 x 50 pt Followers
Creatures of the N•ght 0
100+ Disadvantages
15 1'hx STUN from Magic
15 Secretive (Com, Strong)
15 Manipulative (Com, Strong)
15 Sadistic (V Com)
10 Hates Mentalists (Com)
15 Susc: 2d6 STUN from Flash Attacks
5 Distinctive Features: Creepy Old Man
5 Watched by current "master" 11- (Less Pow)
1O Hunted by enemies of current "master" 8- (As Pow)
1O Hunted by Supernatural Hero 8·
332 Villain Bonus
0 Creatures of the Night 75
candy store, its dictator-owner inviting him to eat his fill.
Where would he find another place so comfortable, so well-
suited to his peculiar talents? The creature smiled as it
scanned headlines from the world's leading newspapers.
Human nature stayed the same. In Central America per-
haps, or the Middle East, or America itself, it would find
someone to offer it souls for the power and security it gave.
Quote: "I am the Way and the Truth and the Light...You will
see that soon enough."
Personality: Lamplighter is a sadistic "psychic vampire"
who sees all humans as dupes, slaves or food. Although his
powers enable him to control people, he doesn't try becom-
ing a big boss himself. Instead, he finds some evil person
who already has a strong power base-dictators are best,
but Lamplighter will settle for crime lords, evil corporate
CEOs or VIPER Nest Leaders-and becomes that person's
helper and advisor. Then he uses the person's organization
to collect souls, preferably "harvested" in pain or despair.
When justice catches up with Lamplighter's sponsor, he cuts
and runs.
Powers/Tactics: Lamplighter controls the substance of the
human soul. He collects souls taken from people dying in
anguish or corrupted by his powers. He's collected hundreds
of souls. Normally they are invisible, impalpable and unde-
tectable by normal means. When Lamplighter wants to use
them, however, they become fist-sized balls of light.
He can send swarms of soul-orbs out to search for people.
Soul-orbs travel nearly instantaneously, but Lamplighter
can't send them more than about 1 oo km away without losing
them. (This is a plot-device restriction, to keep him from
attacking heroes from halfway around the world.) He can
send soul-orbs crashing into victims, causing pain: the victim
feels all the anguish the soul felt in life. With a bit more effort,
B~ckground: In November of 1989, the long dictatorship of
he can ram a soul-orb into a victim's psyche, forcing the
N1colae Ceaucescu in Romania fell apart. As part of the
revolt, Romania saw its first public super-battle. Ceaucescu's person to do something. Since Lamplighter wants to corrupt
priv?te team of superbeings, the only ones legally allowed to people, he usually tries to make victims think their forced
live m that country, was defeated in battle by four heroes who actions were really their own idea.
had stayed secret until then. With his band of super-powered Lamplighter can also pull souls from living people to tum
lackeys out of the way, the dictator was not difficult to them into loyal slaves, but only if he's had a week or so to
w~rk on t~e ~ictim and made him or her do several evil things.
capture. Ceaucescu died before a firing squad. Rumors that
the riflemen used silver bullets persist despite denials. (Smee this 1s a mental rather than physical change, the
Ceaucescu's super-agents are now dead or in jail- Transform acts vs. EGO and Mental Defense instead of
except one. The one code-named Lampagiu ("Lamplighter" BODY and Power Defense.) The slaves all have a Mindlink
or "Lampmaker") vanished without a trace. The files of the back to Lamplighter, and he can link with several at once.
secret police told no more than the Lamplighter's surviving Slaves also gain 10 pts in both PD and ED (nonresistant).
teammates. He called himself Ion Pedrescu; nobody knew if Slaves can only be freed by forcing Lamplighter to relinquish
that was his real name. His age was unknown, but he looked the person's soul. If Lamplighter is knocked out, all souls of
sixtyish. No one had heard of him before he helped found the still-living people will fly out and head back to their bodies.
state security super-team in 1979. Official requests for Finally, Lamplighter can shift to an invisible ghost-like
information went unanswered. Covert attempts to learn form. This is great for escapes, but he can still be affected by
~bout the Lamplighter resulted in agents disappearing, go-
magic, is visible to anyone with Mental Awareness (which
ing mad or killing themselves. New super-team members, means anyone with ego powers) and can't use his soul-orbs
whether volunteers or inducted by threat of death, spent a to attack without becoming solid and visible again.
day with the Lamplighter. None ever rebelled or defected. In Appearance: Lamplighter appears to be an elderly man with
the final battle, the Lamplighter simply slipped away. magnetic black eyes, silver hair fringing a bald pate, and a
The ~amplighter left Romania with deep regrets. The mocking expression. He dresses plainly, even shabbily, in
years with Ceaucescu had been sweet. The executions, the dark clothes. He likes to carry a black cane topped with a
dissidents writhing under the electrode's kiss, and ah! the silver skull, but he doesn't need it either for his powers or to
delicate souls of children, slowly plucked by careless trans- walk.
fusions of contaminated blood! He had felt like a child in a
76 Creatures of the Night 0
Skills
3 Acting 13-
9 KS: Local Customs 13-, Victim's life 12-,
Superbeings 11
5 Shadowing 12-
3 Stealth 14-
5 Tracking 13-
100+ Disadvantages
20 2x STUN & BODY from Chaos Magic
20 Loyal to Mrs. Meigs (Com, Total)
10 Secretive & standoffish (Com)
5 Unappreciative of humor & nonsense (Uncom)
15 Phys Lim: Gains mimicked person's Vulnerability,
Susceptibility, Hunteds, etc.
10 Phys Lim: No true emotion, must use Acting
5 Phys Lim: Mute in true form
5 Phys Lim: True form revealed by Chaotic forces
10 Distinctive Features (easily concealed, strong reaction)
10 Villain Bonus
0 Creatures of the Night 79
Val Char Cost Combat Stats Val Char Cost Combat Stats
20 STA 10 CCV: 6+ 20 STA 10 CCV: 6+
17 DEX 21 DCV: 6 18 DEX 24 DCV: 6
20 CON 20 ECV: 4 20 CON 20 ECV: 3
10 BODY 0 Phases:3,6, 9, 12 15 BODY 10 Phases:3,6,9, 12
13 INT 3 10 INT 0
13 EGO 6 Costs 10 EGO 0 Costs
15 PRE 5 15 PRE 5
6 COM -2 Char: 122 Base: 158 0(10) COM -5 Char: 94 Base: 100
25 PD 21 + + 13 PD 9 + +
25 ED 21 Powers: 158 Disad: 180 13 ED 9 Powers: 200 Disad: 194
4 SPD 13 = = 4 SPD 12 =
10 REC 4 Totals: 280 280 8 REC 0 Totals: 294 294
40 END 0 40 END 0
30 STUN 0 35 STUN 0
100+ Disadvantages
REVERAND GIL PURDUE
10 1V2x STUN from Chemical-based attacks
10 Enraged by disrespect for Christian Fundamentalism
Val Char Cost Combat Stats ( 14-/11-)
25 Megalomaniac (V Com, Total)
10 STA O OCV: 5 Hates magic (Com, Strong)
15
15 DEX 15 CCV: 5 Dislikes science and scientists (Com)
10
20 CON 20 ECV: 5
15 Susc: 3d6 STUN from Using Cell PK on immune target
15 BODY 10 Phases:3,6, 9, 12 15 Susc: 1d6 STUN/turn from Mildly toxic chemicals
13 INT 3 10 Reputation 11-, Extreme right-wing televangelist
15 EGO 10 Costs 10 Public ID
30 PRE 20
132 Villain Bonus
10 COM 0 Char: 117 Base: 100
13 PD 11 + +
13 ED 9 Powers: 235 Disad: 252 Background: "For it says in the Bible that Man is made in the
4 SPD
REC
15
4 Totals:
=
352 352
image of God; but these scientists, these a-the-istic pokers
8 and prodders. think they can improve on the image o'I God!
40 END 0 It's not enough for them to say Man came from the animals,
30 STUN 0 now they want to turn man into an anim al, a laboratory animal
Cost Powers END for their experiments, to twist the image of God into the image
of their own prideful, un-Godly reason!"
50 Cell PK Multipower (62 pt pool), Reverend Purdue knew America was steeped in wicked-
Only vs. organic beings (-1/.i)
ness. Drugs, promiscuity, flag burning, abortion, pornogra-
3u 5d6 BODY + 5d6 STUN Aid, 112 END,
Only to starting values (-V2) [Heal Wounds] 3
3u 2d6 AKA, AP, Penetrating,
No Range [Cause Wounds) 6
5u 3d6 STA Drain, Recover 1 ST A/minute,
Ranged [Weaken] 6
5u 3d6 DEX Drain, Recover 1 DEX/3 minutes,
Ranged [Trembling] 6
5u 5d6 EB ALVO [Power Defense] (Pain) 6
5u 2d6 STA+ 2d6 DEX Aid, Lose 1 pVturn (+V4),
Ranged, Selective 2" Radius (+ 1 V4)
[Augment Followers] 6
3u 3V2d6 minor Transform - Any Humanoid to
twisted, demonic form (+V4), Cumulative,
No Range [Twist Form) 6
30 Self-Augmentation Multipower (30 pt pool)
6m +30 STA
6m +10 DEX
6m +3 SPD
6m +10 PD, +10 ED Armor
4 Damage Resistance (4 PD/4 ED)
10 Power Defense (10)
Skills
7 Contortionist 14-
3 Interrogation 15-
3 Oratory 15-
3 Persuasion 15-
4 KS: Dominion Theology 13-
4 PS: Preacher 13-
3 Simulate Death
5 Well-Off
6 Contacts: Corporate head 12-.
Government Official 12-
40 Followers: 32 x 75 pt Soldiers of the Lord
10 +2 levels w/ Cell PK
84 Creatures of the Night 0
phy calling itself art, schools force-feeding children a secu- Along t11e way, Purdue is waging total, unconditional war
lar-humanist agenda of atheism. heathenism, one-worldism on sinfulness and secular humanism-by which he means
and evolution-he spoke out against it all, and was not everything that isn't actively pro-Christian Fundamentalist.
gentle. "The Lord," he said, "does not say to be moderate Anyone who disagrees with him is obviously a tool of Satan,
with the creatu res of Satan." and must be dealt with severely. By now this includes most
When the new Pan Genetics Corporation lab opened amid Americans, including most of the "mainstream" Christian
controversy, Purdue saw his chance; this could be the issue denominations.
he could make specially his own, that could raise his ministry Powers/Tactics: The lab accident gave Purdue powers of
to national importance. It worked. It didn't matter how often cellular psychokinesis-he can psychically affect living tis-
the Pan Genetics managers protested they only extracted a sue in various ways. In addition to "miraculous" healings and
few genes from human cell cultures and only experimented causing wounds, he can interfere with people's bodies in
on mice. Six months after Purdue began his crusade, ten debilitating ways or temporarily make them stronger and
thousand people demonstrated outside the Pan Genetics quicker. He can also use his Cell PK to augment himself in
building, with Purdue at their head. various ways. Finally, he can drastically reshape someone's
Purdue gave the greatest sermon of his career. on the evil appearance . While the only limits to the changes he can
of biologists who would tamper with the Image of God. It was make are that he can't change a being's basic body structure
so powerful that his audience stormed the building, sweep- and he can't change flesh into inorganic substances. in
ing Purdue with them. Not that he minded much. When the practice he only creates ugly, demonic forms. This is be·
riot's tide swept him into a lab, he led the mob in smast1ing cause what he thinks he's doing is revealing a demon that's
the equipment. Shoving the terrified young scientist aside, disguised itself as a human. He only uses his "reveal true
he seized a tray of liquid· filled flasks and brought it down on form" power on people he already thinks are demons-so
the delicate apparatus that pulsed with an unearthly glow .. . that's what they become. The one exception to this rule is his
When Purdue picked himself up off the floor, he felt very "miracle healings": his power really can cure deformity and
odd. Some of his followers had the scientist up against the make the lame walk ... for a while.
wall. The scientist was blubbering. Purdue decided it was Rev. Purdue won't lead his f ollowers in a blatant,
time to show a little compassion to the disgusting little wimp. "supervillain-style" assault unless he's sure he can thereby
Purdue put l1is hand on the scientist's shoulder and said, trigger Armageddon. In the meantime, he conducts cam-
"There's no need for this. Accept the Lord Jesus into your paigns against institutions he considers "unholy," from porno
heart, turn away-" and he almost turned away himself. The bookstores to university genetics departments. At first he
man's features were meltlng like wax, like nothing human, has his Soldiers of the Lord harass the target, escalating into
like a-his face had become that of a demon! Most of the arson and assault, while he publicly denounces the target as
rioters fled, but Purdue's faith was strong. He brandished his demon-possessed. Several times. such campaigns have
cross at the demon, who wailed and collapsed, blood stream- ended with Purdue publicly "exposing" someone as a de·
ing from its body. Then Purdue was sick for a while, and he mon-and the unfortunate person's death in a riot soon after.
left. Some "unbalanced fanatic" goes to jail for the homicide,
Rev. Purdue did some time in jail after that for incitement while Purdue makes pious remarks about abhorring unnec-
to riot. but not very much; his lawyers earned their pay. When essary violence. Purdue's role in inciting these riots is
he got out, a year after the riot, he knew he had received blatant, but his lawyers and political connections have kept
amazing powers from God, and he knew his mission. America all legal proceedings against him on indefinite hold. Besides,
was full of wickedness. But not for long. Now he understood what with the Devil's Advocates and general superbeing
the appearance of super-powered villains and so-called strangeness, a lot of people believe Purdue really caught a
l1eroes; the Gospel said there would be signs and wonders demon.
in the Last Days. It was his task to prepare the world for the While Purdue's "miracle healings" are widely publicized,
Apocalypse-and maybe, he thought with a shiver of proud he doesn't advertise his more aggressive powers.
humility, to help bring it about. Purdue's personal retinue of converts does most of the
Glory hallelujah. rough stuff. They carry normal-tech guns and gadgets. They
Quote: "You cannot hope to resist the power of Lord. are as fanatical as Purdue himself: whatever they (and he)
Demon, show yourself!" lack in power, they make up for In motivation.
Personality: Gil Purdue Is a religious fanatic and a megalo· Purdue avoids personal combat; he'd rather orate than
maniac. By itself, "dominion theology"-the argument that fight. On the other hand, anyone who insults his beliefs is
laws and government should serve Christian Fundamental- marked for vengeance. If it comes to personal combat,
ist doctrine-isn't insane, just radical. Purdue, however, Purdue prefers to get opponents busy dealing with his
doesn't merely want religious control of government any- followers. then use his debilitating powers to weaken oppo-
more. He believes the Book of Revelations in the Bible nents and set them up for his troops to nail. Captured
describes nuclear holocaust, and that this brings about the opponents will be revealed as demons.
Second Coming of Christ. Anything that leads to nuclear war Appearance: Reverend Gil Purdue is a square-faced man
is therefore good. If Purdue sees a way to spark a nuclear of unremarkable appearance. He's in his early 40s; his
war directly, he'll take it. but in the meantime he strives to brown hair is touched with gray at the temples. He dresses
gain greater and greater power in the world: first to spread in expensive suits.
the Gospel and so increase the number of the faithful who will
be saved, and second to push the world closer to the nuclear
war that will send everyone else to Hell.
0 Creatures of the Night 85
RAZOR GIRL
Skills
20 Universal Translator 12·
3 Acting 13·
3 Climbing 13- Background: Ellie Brown has a demon inside her. Why is
5 KS: Fencing 12-, Demonkind 11- that?
3 PS: Play Head Games 12- (INT-based) The demon's reason is simple. Andras, one of Baphomet's
10 +2 levels w/ Mystic Blades
Cohort of Wrath, saw a chance to possess a mortal, and took
6 +3 OCV w/ Daggers
it. Earth is a better place to be than the Netherworld , and a
100+ Disadvantages demon clothed in flesh doesn't have to leave when its host
is knocked out. A demon may lack its full physical strength
20 Berserk when BODY taken (8-/11 ·)
20 Bloodthirsty (V Com, Strong) when possessing amortal instead of materializing on its own,
15 Phys Lim: Movement, Powers blocked by pentacles but it also loses some of its greatest weaknesses. While
5 Phys Lim: Legal Minor Andras would have preferred a body that was older, stronger
20 Normal Characteristic Maxima and male, working murderous evil through a little girl has a
15 Susc: 1d6 STUN/turn from Holy Symbols/Places certain .. . piquancy.
10 Distinctive Features (easily concealed, strong reaction) Why Elfie should be the one possessed, however, is up to
15 Secret ID the GM. There are lots of interesting possible reasons.
1 Villain Bonus Perhaps Ellie had the demon forced upon her by a cult or
sorcerer. Does Demonologist need a surprising assassin? A
rescuer in case (unlikely event) he is captured?
86 Creature.s of the Night 0
100+ Disadvantages
20 1112x STUN & BODY from HeaVFire Attacks
10 1Yzx STUN & BODY from Radiation Attacks
15 Berserk if BODY taken ( 11-/11-)
15 Berserk if STUN taken (8-/14-)
10 Enraged by attempts to force behavior ( 14-/14-)
20 Megalomania (V Com, Strong)
20 Won't flee confrontation (V Com, Strong)
15 Fear of confinement (Uncom, Total)
15 Vengeful (V Com)
25 Distinctive Features, Can't Conceal, Causes Horror
10 Reputation 8-, Extreme (Cosmic abomination)
15 Hunted by Mysterious Cosmic Powers 11-
10 2d6 Unluck
869 Villain Horror Bonus
Demons are spiritual entities embodying evil and what picks up a cross to hold back a demon is not going to fool the
people fear. Every human culture has its own demons, but demon long. He'd do better to brandish a copy of the
the ones presented below are more or less based on the Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, which at least is
Judeo-Christian demons of Western Mainstream Occultism. dedicated to truth.) Being struck by a holy symbol also
According to the grimoires, demon kind is dominated by a weakens a demon's will. Most demons are also vulnerable to
small horde of demon lords with distinctive forms and pow- coercion from the sorcerer who summoned them; the great
ers. These demon lords form a vast hierarchy, usually lords do not share this weakness.
conceived as a military command or as a hybrid, semi-feudal All demons can be balked by certain magic diagrams such
bureaucracy with Presidents and Chancellors as well as as the pentagram; once inside a pentagram a demon can't
Kings, Dukes, Marquises and Earls. There is absolutely no get out until the diagram is marred, and can't even use its
need for GMs to develop a consistent demonology; there's powers on things outside the pentagram or on the penta-
abundant precedence in the comics for inventing whatever gram itself-at least not directly. A demon could, for in-
demons fit the needs of the story. If GMs want to crib demons stance, blast the ceiling overhead in hopes that some of the
from ceremonial magic, that's fine, but as the examples wreckage would fall across the pentagram's lines and set it
given should show, one has to do a fair bit of work to flesh out free. A demon outside a magic diagram also can't affect
the grimoires' sketchy outlines into characters with powers. anyone inside.
All demons have certain features in common. They are Demons aren't really supposed to appear on Earth on
immortal. immune to disease, and only seem to breathe. solid form, so if their self-awareness is violently broken they
Their minds are so totally fixed on evil that it's hard for mental instantly vanish back to the Netherworld.
powers to punch through. Theirectoplasmic form also makes Finally, demons are all thoroughly vile. Human pain and
them resistant to Drains and other adjustment attacks; the degradation is their art. It is a rare demon that will have
greater demons are resistant to Transforms as well. In fact, anything approaching "good points." Against demons, one
their nonphysical nature makes them generally more resis· can cheerfully use unrestrained lethal force.
tant to damage than they look. Or can one? Anger is a sin, after all, and some demons are
Holy symbols and places cause them harm. but only in the terribly subtle about leading good people into evil ways ...
hands of a sincere believer. (An atheistic materialist who
0 Creatures of the Night 91
100+ Disadvantages
MEPHISTOPHELES
20 2x Effect from, PRE Attacks After Struck
w/ Holy Symbol
Val Char Cost Combat Stats 10 1Y2x Effect from PRE Attacks/Bindings from Summoner
40 Susc: 2d6 STUN+ BODY/turn from Contact
23 STA 13 OCV:7 w/Holy Symbol/Place
20 DEX 30 DCV:7 20 Phys Lim: Dispelled if Stunned/Unconscious/O BODY
25 CON 30 ECV: 9 20 Phys Lim: Dispelled if Contract Beaten,
15 BODY 10 Phases:4, 8, 12 Can't Harm Contractor
23 INT 13 15 Phys Lim: Movement, Powers Blocked by Pentacles
28 EGO 36 Costs 15 Distinctive Features, Easily Concealed, Cause Terror:
30 PRE 20 Arch· Demon
10 COM 0 Char: 202 Base: 100 25 Truthful in Word but Treacherous in Spirit
30 PD 25 + + (V Com, Total)
30 ED 25 Powers: 443 Disad: 545
25 Can't Force Anything on Anyone (V Com, Total)
3 SPD 0 = "' 15 Avoids Combat (Com, Strong)
10 REC 0 Totals: 645 645 10 Accidental Change 11 ·if Lose Temper
50 END 0 20 Rep 14-, Bad: The Devil
40 STUN 0 5 Rivalry: Other Demon Kings
Cost Powers END 300 Villain Bonus
Skills
20 Universal Translator 14·
15 Perk: King of This World
7 Disguise 13·
3 Oratory 15·
3 Persuasion 15-
9 KS: Demon kind, Human Desires, Human Power
Brokers 14- each (INT-Based}
3 PS: Contract Lawyer 14- (INT-Based)
92 Creatures of the Night 0
Mephistopheles, a.k.a. the Prince of Lies, the Tempter, the "put on a pleasing shape," it keeps him safe from possible
Archfiend, Old Nick, Old Harry, Old Scratch. etc. etc. is one harm. Heroes who attack the Archfiend will actually attack an
of the most powerful of demon lords. His write-up only illusionary double. Illusion is also Mephisto's chief means of
describes Mephistopheles' most commonly-used powers; in attack; he creates an illusion that does STUN. such as
many ways, the Prince of Lies is a walking plot device. In his seeming to transport his attackers to a lake of fire in Hell.
own form, Mephistopheles is "The Devil": reddish skin, Despite his great power, Mephistopheles has one crip-
horrn:;, h<HhP.rl ti:til And all. He can make people see him as pling limitation: he cannot truly harm anyone who has not
anything he wants, however, and his horns and tail can be given him permission to do so. He cannot Transform anyone
concealed by his wardrobe. He prefers to dress in red. who doesn't ask for it. While he can threaten with his
Mephistopheles specializes in getting people to sell their illusions, he cannot make them do STUN until his adversary
souls. He can give a pacter virtually anything: wealth, super- shows intent to fight. The Devil is helpless before a calm
powers, social status, magic items. anything (represented head and a pure heart.
by the Transform)-all with a snap of his fingers. Fringe Mephisto is terribly cunning, however, at playing on hu-
benefits like mansions, serving staff, and business connec- man fears and desires. Perhaps heroes can righteously
tions are supplied via servant demons, damned souls tem- reject Mephisto's offers of power, wealth, sex and status for
porarily reincarnated, and Mephisto's matchless connec- themselves, but what about their families and friends? Old
tions among the rich and powerful: the number of prominent Harry can see to it they'll never be kidnapped by villains
people who owe him favors is surprising. Or maybe not. again. Or he can cure Aunt Mary's heart condition . Or he can
Wl1en Mephisto first appears to humans, he does so persuade that pesky senator to stop his crusade against
concealed by his Mental Illusions. Not only does this let him metahumans.
''Let's make a deal ... "
0 Creatures of the Night 93
100+ Disadvantages
BAPHOMET
20 2x Effect from PRE Attacks After Struck w/Holy Symbol
40 Susc: 2d6 STUN+ BODY/turn from Touching
Val Char Cost Combat Stats Holy/Symbol/Place
20 Phys Lim: Dispelled if Stunned/Unconscious/0 BODY
60* STA 40 OCV: 8 15 Phys Lim: Movement, Powers Blocked by Pentacle
24 DEX 42 DCV: 7* 25 Distinctive Features (not concealable, causes horror):
30 CON 40 ECV: 8 Demon Lord
20* BODY 16 Phases:2,4,6, 8, 10, 12 Berserk when BODY taken {11-/11-)
20
15 INT 5
20 Berserk when takes 15+ STUN in 1 Attack {11-/11-)
23 EGO 26 Costs
20 Berserk when shown disrespect {8-/11 ·)
30 PRE 20
15 Loves Causing Destruction & Needless Pain
4 COM -3 Char: 254 Base: 100 {Com. Strong)
25 PD 15 + + 15 Won't Refuse a Fight (Com, Strong)
25 ED 19 Powers: 356 Disad: 510 Villain Bonus
300
6 SPD 26
20 REC 8 Totals 610 610
60 END 0 The Lord of Strong Wrath is an example of a really
60* STUN 0 *Bonus for growth added in powerful demon lord. He's a member of the Overlords of Sin,
a clique of demon lords patterned on the Seven Deadly Sins.
Cost Powers END Very few sorcerers are powerful enough to force service
75 Multipower (75 pt. pool) from demons as powerful as Baphomet; the best most evil
7u 3d6+ 1 AKA, 1 Hex Area [Fire Blast] 7 wizards can hope for is to open a way for him to come to
4u +60 STA, 112 END, Only for Shockwave (·1) Earth, and try to strike a deal with him. As his title suggests,
[Shockwave Kick) 3 Baphomet is heavily into destruction.
1u 1 x 100 pt Summon Greater Wrath Demon, OAF Historically, when Pope Clement V and King Philip IV of
(Fire), 1 phase Extra Time (·1/2), 4 charges, France wanted an excuse to confiscate the immense wealth
Cost END 7 of the Knights Templar, they accused the Templars of being
1u 4 x 50 pt Summon Lesser Wrath Demons,
OAF (Fire), 1 phase Extra Time (·112), 4 charges,
Satanists, worshipping a demon called Baphomet. Baphomet
Cost END 7 would therefore seem like an excellent demon lord to be
4u Extra-Dimensional Movement to Netherworld, worshipped by an aggressive and physically-fit cult.
x16 Mass 4 Baphomet looks like a giant minotaur with fiery eyes and
4u 3d6 STA Aid+ 3d6 PD Aid (+1/2), goat-like horns. He reeks of burning sulfur.
Lose 5 pis/minute (+1/,),
4" Selective Radius Effect (+1 1/.i),
Only on Others (·112). Aid Vanishes if Baphomet
departs (-1/2) (Empower Followers) 7
56 1112d6 AKA, AP, Damage Shield,
112 END [Immolation) 3
13 10 pis Growth, 0 END, Persistent,
Always On (400 kg, -2" KB, -1 DCV)
12 Hardened Defenses (25 PD/25 ED)
10 Damage Resistance (8 PD/8 ED) Hardened
40 50% Physical & Energy Damage Reduction
9 Armor (+9 ED), Hardened, Only vs. Heat/Fire (-3.,~)
10 1 BODY Regeneration per tum
5 Lack of Weakness (5)
10 Mental Defense {15)
7 Power Defense (7)
19 Life Support: Self-Contained Breathing,
Immune to Heat/Cold, Disease & Aging
8 IA Vision, Mental Awareness
4 +2' Running {8" total) 1/5"
5 +5" Superleap (17"/9" total) 1/5"
7 Combat Sense 14-
20 Universal Translator 12-
10 KS: Demon kind 13-, Demon Cults 12-,
Body Magic 12·
15 +3 levels w/ HTH Combat
94 Creat u r es of the Night 0
Several grimoires ascribed demons. angels or undefined
ARATRON spirits to the seven astrological planets (Mercury, Venus,
Mars, Jupiter. Saturn, Sun and Moon). The Arbatel only says
that Aratron can change beasts or vegetables into stones,
Val Char Cost Combat Stats transmute metals, has great knowledge of magic and rules
23 STA 13 OCV: 10+ 49 provinces of the firmament with their associated Kings,
30 DEX 60 DCV: 10 Princes , Satraps, Dukes, Servants, Councillors, Envoys and
23 CON 26 ECV: 5 legions of spirits, about which it gives no information whatso·
15 BODY 10 Phases:3, 5,8, 10, 12 ever. In view of Saturn's traditional associations with slow·
13 INT 3 ness. heaviness , weight and time, powers to slow time and
14 EGO 8 Costs cause harm through aging seemed appropriate in addition to
25 PAE 15 the petrification attack. The petrification is reversed by
4 COM ·3 Char: 178 Base: 100
24 PD 19 grabbing the scythe from Aratron and quickly touching it to
+ +
24 ED 19 Powers: 177 Di sad: 255 the victim. (Very quickly; see below.)
5 SPD 10 = = Aratron looks like an evil, withered old man in a cowled
10 REC 0 Totals: 355 355 gray robe festooned with cobwebs. He smells like an old
40 END -3 cellar, leaves a trail of dust where he walks, and carries a
40 STUN 1 huge scythe with which he attacks. (It's not a focus, however.
Heroes can take it away from Aratron, but it will be back in his
Cost Powers END hands by the time he makes his next attack, unless they can
45 Time Scythe Multipower (45 pt pool) dispel him before then.)
4u 3d6 Drain vs. DEX, Recover 1 DEX/3 turns(+%),
'h END (Weight With Years) 2
4u 3d6 Drain vs. STA, Recover 1 STR/turn (+1..4),
V2 END (Weaken With Age) 2
4u 3d6 Drain vs. BODY, Recover 1 BODY/2 turns
(+Y•). 11.2 END (The Inevitable] 2
4u 2d6 major Transform to stone, Cumulative (Petrify] 4
4u 22" Teleport 1/5"
4u Desolidification, Not vs. Magic 4
12 Hardened Defenses (24 PD/24 ED)
1O Damage Resistance (8 PD/8 ED), Hardened
10 1 BODY Regeneration per turn
5 Mental Defense (8)
5 Power Defense (5)
16 Life Support: Self· Contained Breathing,
Immune to Disease & Aging
5 IR Vision
8 +4" Running (10" total) 1/5"
20 Universal Translator 12·
7 KS: Time Magic 13· , Demonkind 12·
10 +2 levels w/ Time Scythe
100+ Disadvantages
20 2x Effect from PAE Attacks After Struck w/Holy Symbol
40 Susc: 2d6 STUN+ BODY/turn from Contact w/Holy
Symbols/Places
10 Susc: 2d6 STUN from Healing Powers
20 Phys Lim: Dispelled if Stunned/Unconscious/O BODY
15 Phys Lim: Movement, Powers Blocked by Pentacles
15 Phys Lim: Always Strikes Last in Phase
15 Distinctive Features (hard to conceal, strong reaction)
20 Relentless in Pursuit and attack (V Com. Strong)
100 Villain Bonus
Val Char Cost Combat Stats Val Char Cost Combat Stats
so• STA 10 OCV: 6+ 25* STA 5 OCV: 6+
14 DEX 12 OCV: 2* 17 DEX 21 DCV: 5•
25 CON 30 ECV: 4 20 CON 20 ECV: 4
18* BODY 4 Phases:4,8, 12 14* BODY 4 Phases:4, 8, 12
5 INT -5 5 INT -5
11 EGO 2 Costs 11 EGO 2 Costs
20 PRE 10 20 PRE 10
4 COM -3 Char: 108 Base: 100 4 COM -3 Char: 93 Base: 50
20 PD 16 + + 17 PD 14 + +
20 ED 15 Powers: 182 Oisad: 190 17 ED 13 Powers: 247 Disad: 190
3 SPD 6 = = 3
10
SPD
REC
3
6
10 REC 2 Totals : 290 290 Totals: 240 240
50 END 0 40 END 0
50* STUN 9 *Bonus from Growth added in 35* STUN 3 *Bonus from Growth added in
25+ Disadvantages
20 2x Effect from PAE Attacks After Struck w/Holy Symbol
20 2x Effect from Summoner PRE Attacks/Binding Spells
50 Susc: 2d6 STUN+ BODY/phase from Contact w/Holy
Symbol/Place
20 Phys Lim: Dispelled if Stunned/Unconscious/O BODY
15 Phys Lim: Movement, Powers Blocked by Pentacles
15 Cowardly (V Com)
10 Loves Nasty Practical Jokes (Com)
98 Creatures of the Night 0
They're sacrificing babies. They're corrupting teenagers The MPD patients' accounts are suspect as well. One
through heavy metal music. They've infiltrated society at characteristic shared by people with MPD is a talent for
every level. They're the Satanists and they're out to (drum telling people what they want to hear. That first psychothera-
roll please) rule the world! BOOGA BOOGA BOOGAI pist to produce a "cult survivor" story was an extremely
Many people, including some police and psychiatrists, conservative Catholic who baptized his patient a Catholic as
now seriously believe there is a network of Satanic cults part of her therapy and later married her. He could be
operating secretly throughout America and perhaps the presumed to take special interest in anything a patient said
world. They claim these hereditary cults brainwash their that smacked of Satanism.
children through atrocious physical and psychological abuse The first "survivor" stories were widely spread through
into becoming loyal cult members in turn. Female members newspapers and talk shows. Some psychologists openly
become "breeders," bearing infants for the cult to sacrifice. charge that their colleagues have unwittingly prompted their
Cult members try to become social leaders-doctors, law- MPD patients to start telling cult stories. The lurid details are
yers, politicians, even clergymen-both to protect the cult's readily available through previous accounts and the movies.
secrecy and to twist society toward greater evil. At the very least, these psychologists suggest taking what a
Outside the super-secret inner cults are haloes of Satan- psychotic patient says with a grain or two of salt.
worshipping criminals, non-criminal public cults such as San Some skeptics add that the Satanic cult crime model uses
Francisco's Church of Satan and soft-core promotional/ exactly the same story elements as "subversion myths" of
recruitment devices such as rock music and (of cou rse) a the past. Blaming social problems and insecurity on shad-
certain very well-known fantasy role-playing game-all to owy Enemies Among Us is nothing new. Stories of human
lure the unsuspecting away from Christian virtue and into sacrifice, rape, sexual perversion, ritual degradation, dia-
occultism and immorality, to make them more receptive to bolical brainwashing and secret plots were also told back in
the promise of power from Satan. the 19th century-but the evil conspirators were Catholics or
This, in a nutshell, is the "Satanic Cult Crime Model." Cult Jews. Promoters even had "survivors" telling their stories in
crime theorists also frequently tie the cults to Nazis and Neo- pamphlets and the public-lecture circuit.
Nazis, serial killers and mass murderers, drug cartels. terror- In short, while most psychologists concede that people
ism, cattle mutilation, alleged sexual abuse in preschools with MPD have often suffered abuse as children, many
and in fact anything else they don't like. While rumors of psychologists and police officers think the cult crime model
Satanists are nothing new, in the last decade they have tells more about popular fears than about the causes of
gained new respectability. MPD.
!tall started in 1980, when a woman suffering from Multiple In a game world, of course, the Satanic cult crime model
Personality Disorder {MPD) started telling her therapist can be entirely real in every detail, and even have access to
about rituals in which hooded figures, Including her parents, real magic and demons. Laden with paranoia and grotes-
sacrificed infants and ate their flesh, raped her, beat her. query, it is tailor-made for suspenseful gaming. In fact, it's
made her eat excrement and other revolting acts. The useful even if the GM has it not be real.
psychiatrist wrote a best-selling book. It one decides the secret International Satanist Con-
Since then, numerous other therapists have reported spiracy really exists in one' s milieu , the uses are obvious. A
similar stories from MPD patients. The patients' accounts DNPC is kidnapped for sacrifice. Cult is taking over town/
agree in virtually every detail. Believers in the cult crime summoning demon lord to father a child/trying to kill a local
model point to this as proof of a nation-wide network of cults. paragon of virtue/etc. Perhaps the DNPC is a brainwashed
Skeptics point out several serious problems with the cult cult survivor, living a normal life-except when the phone call
model. comes with the code word to trigger the cultist personality.
First, where are the remains? Many police insist it's just not Movies provide a wealth of lurid ideas. Dennis Wheatley's
possible for thousands of skeletons to vanish without a trace. "Black Magic" novels, such as Gateway to Hell and To the
It's true that once in a white the police find corpses that Devil-A Daughter virtually invented the World Satanic
have been horribly mutilated, but none have ever been Underground; they are still occasionally in print, and can be
traced back to a cult. found in used book stores. More recently, the TV series
Police have investigated families of self-proclaimed "cult "Friday the Thirteenth" presented a fairly complete milieu of
survivors" and never found evidence of Satanism or criminal secret Satanists, as well as many intriguing items of evil
activity. magic.
No disaffected cult members have blown the whistle in With real magic and demons, all the skeptical objections
hopes of getting rich off the movie rights. In short, there's no to the cult crime model vanish into nothingness. Bodies?
physical evidence at all. Demons take them. Brainwashing more effective than any
0 Creatures of the Night 99
known to science? It's done by mind control magic. And of If one does decide to use the Satanic Cult Conspiracy, one
course if the Satanists really have infiltrated the police, should play up the self-degradation of the cultists and how
naturally investigations of cult survivor accusations go no· completely they oppose basic standards of decency and
where. civilized behavior. They cannot simply be people who like
On the other hand, there are interesting story possibilities rather grotesque church decorations and the occasional
if the Satanic Underground isn't real-but people think it is. orgy. In modern America, where most people's religious
A town full of hysterical people convinced that someone commitments are mild to nonexistent and Christianity-of
among theirneighbors is a murderous, all-corrupting Satanist whatever denomi nation-no longe r has a monopoly,
is a powder keg waiting to explode. Heroes must either Satanism won't inspire much horror simply from being ''the
discover any genuine sinister goings-on, (which may or may opposing team."
not be the work of Satanists), or calm the townsfolk before
somebody gets hurt. It should be an unusual challenge.
Author's Note: See also the excellent discussion of serial Perhaps worst of all, they are aware of their own mental
killers in DARK CHAMPIONS. disintegration. Often, serial killers-to-be try to find help,
Ted Bundy. Richard Ramirez the Night Stalker. Jeffrey directly or indirectly, and are ignored. When Henry Lee
Dahmer. Hannibal Lecter. "Henry." Whether real or fictional, Lucas was about to be paroled from prison for killing his
serial killers have rocketed to a high place in the modern mother, he warned prison officials that he would kill again if
pantheon of fear. A serial killer can be an interesting and he was released. He did; over300 ti mes according to his own
unusual opponent for superheroes. So how do serial killers confessions, although police have confirmed far fewer.
operate- and why? A serial killer's choice of victims often derives from their
Serial murder differs from normal mass murder in that early torments. In their own mind, they are killing the person
there is no pre-existing relationship between victim and killer responsible for their perpetual feelings of inadequacy. Carlton
to explain the killing. A serial killer doesn't kill for money, Gary raped and strangled the wealthy white matrons who
revenge, rage or to please another; serial killing isn't motive- treated young black men like him as though they didn't exist.
less, but the motives lie entirely in the killer's own mind. Ted Bundy killed pretty coeds who reminded him of the
Normal murders are usually easy to solve because the killer fiancee who had rejected him. Edmund Kemper killed women
is usually someone close to the victim, with a fairly obvious whose voices reminded him of his psychologically abusive
reason for killing the victim. Serial killers murder complete and dominating mother, with whom he still lived. Charles
strangers who fit a "profile" set by inner compulsions. Manson's childhood, mostly spent in institutions from the
People do not just become serial killers. Serial murder age of 12, lefthim hating all authority: the murders committed
appears to be the final stage of psychological disintegration by his "family" were to feed his fantasy of "helter skelter," the
that begins in childhood. Many were so severely abused as violent collapse of all society.
children that detailed CAT scans and EEGs can detect the All the while, serial killers usually seem like nice, normal
brain damage decades later. At the very least, serial killers members of society. They may even go out of their way to be
often come from loveless families. Some psychologists call helpful and win approval. John Wayne Gacy is an especially
it "poisoned parenting": the child is told that the beatings and remarkable case: while killing young men and boys and
abuse are done ufor his own good," creating a moral inver- burying the bodies in a crawlspace beneath his home, he ran
sion where cruelty is love and kindness is nonexistent. a successful construction business, was active in Chicago
Holding a child's hand in a candle flame and beating him city politics, entertained hospitalized children, was Grand
when he cries, for instance, was not simply a detail invented Marshal of the Polish Day Parade for several years and was
tor Caiman's background (q.v.); it really happened to the considered the hardest-working community volunteer in
young Joseph Kallinger, who later tortured one of his own town by his fellow JCs. Ted Bundy was a prelaw student,
sons to death. Sometimes it's a wonder that a serial killer worked at a suicide prevention hotline and wrote a rape
survived his own childhood. prevention guidebook.
Other factors frequently found in serial killer histories are Neither social approval nor private rituals of murder can kill
alcohol and drug abuse, cruelty to animals and compulsive the things serial killers hate within themselves, however. In
behavior. They often show a remarkable ability to fade into fact, their addiction to murder only increases their feelings of
the background. They also easily lose their temper, how- helplessness. Henry Lee Lucas spontaneously started con-
ever, and act far more violently than circumstances warrant. fessing to his murders after he was arrested on a weapons
They may even be arrested for assault. charge. Killer Leonard Lake was only exposed as a serial
100 Creatures of the Night 0
killer after he committed suicide in a San Francisco jail cell. obviously respectable that the police have ruled him out and
Rapist-murderer Bobby Joe Long was caught after he let a don't want to hear any accusations, but the heroes find some
victim go; so was Jeffrey Dahmer of recent notoriety. Edmund clue that Mr. Nice Guy has an unpleasant past.
Kemper turned himself in after flnally killing his mother. Most What about super-powered serial killers? The stealthy,
captured serial killers say they have attempted suicide or "motiveless" nature of serial murder means that a serial killer
persistently thought of it. Perhaps that explains why some would not actually gain much advantage by having super-
yet-unsolved killing sprees stopped as mysteriously as they powers. A super-strong killer could crush victims, or one who
began. fired laser beams could drill victims through, but strangula-
A serial killer makes the ultimate challenge for a detective tion , blunt instruments, knives and guns are just as lethal to
hero. Short of retrocognition or similar informational super- normal people. In fact, super-powers could make a killer
powers, a serial killer can only be caught by following the easier to catch; showing that someone has the indicated
most slender of clues. Serial killers maintain extraordinary super-power narrows the range of suspects a lot. A super-
control over their murders, unobtrusively luring victims to powered serial killer could fight back better once detected,
their deaths in places where there are no witnesses. Bodies but unless the killer is very powerful it will still be a mis-
often aren't found for months, when the forensic evidence of matched fight against the PCs.
footprints, strands of hair, the fine structure of wounds, and There is one possible combination of serial murder and
other clues that let a medical examiner describe a killer in super-powers, however, that gives a perfect final twist of
precise detail will be gone. terror. Remember Gacy's political and JC work, and Ted
In fact, a serial killer villain is a remarkable challenge for a Bundy's work at the suicide hotline? "Hypervigilance" is not
gamemaster as well. If a group of heroes does not include too uncommon in serial killers. So what would a man desper-
any members with excellent detective skills, pitting them ate for approval, prone to fantasies of omnipotence, inclined
against a realistic serial killer will be an exercise in frustra- to violence and skilled at leading a double life do to prop up
tion. A GM must work out the killer's psychology and meth- his crumbling sanity if he somehow got super-powers?
ods, and then invent lots of subtle (but not too subtle) clues Why, he'd become a superhero.
for the heroes to f ind and trace. The big problem is inventing Imagine his comrades' surprise when they discover what
clues to suggest a particular person out of the population of Captain Crusader does on his days off ....
an entire city. It may help to have the killer be someone so
To be properly scary, horror-oriented villains need to be for heroic-level campaigns such an Achilles Heel is often the
highly resistant to normal combat. Either the monster or only way to stop a powerful villain or monster.
villain is immune to normal damage, or the heroes can't get An Achilles heel could be just about anything. In Western
close enough to fight, or for some reason the heroes don't folklore, sunlight, garlic, salt, silver and cold-forged iron are
dare charge in with fists flying and force-bolts blazing. traditional banes of supernatural evil. Religious faith and its
So how do the heroes beat the villains? symbols also used to be considered all-powerful against the
It isn't easy. The heroes have to find novel ways to work supernatural, but as society has become more secular so
around the strengths of the villains, just as the villains work have the monsters and their weaknesses. More literary
around the strengths of the heroes. GMs, in turn, must play Achilles Heels include exposure of the truth (for horrors
fair in allowing some way for the villains to be beaten, and which rely on deception), true love or an act of supreme self-
providing clues to the players. sacrifice. As for horrors of non-supernatural origin, the only
limit on Achilles Heels is what the GM thinks is appropriate:
The Achilles Heel. "Look, Dr. Jeffers! The slime worm is retreating !"
In horror stories, villains and monsters are often com- "But why? Of course! Last week we sprayed this room
pletely immune to normal damage. One can't just shoot a against dry rot. The fungicide must be toxic to the creature.
Terminator, an Elder God or Dracula. However, "unstop- Stanley, this is fantastic! For all its size, the creature's a giant
pable" monsters often have a special weakness, by which slime mold!"
mere mortals can destroy them. As everyone knows, a silver Really weird menaces might have correspondingly bizarre
bullet kills a werewolf. Sunlight, a stake through the heart or weaknesses. Anglers, for instance (see "Edomites") can't
being unable to rest in its native soil destroys a vampire; cross curving lines or surfaces. Immersion in water shorts
what's more, vampires can't pass a cross, garlic or running out Killer Appliances as surely as it wrecks their inanimate
water, and they can't enter a home uninvited. Less familiar cousins.
horrors might have their own peculiar weaknesses. In fact,
0 Creatures of the Night IOI
In game terms, most Achilles Heels are Vulnerabilities, ize an enemy's abilities and play the villain's entry into the
Susceptibilities or Physical Limitations. Vampires, for in- trap fairly, with one exception: by the Laws of Storytelling, a
stance, are Susceptible to sunlight, Vulnerable to wooden trap set by the police never works. At best, it traps the villain
weapons, and have the Physical Limitation that they can't in a single building, and the villain slaughters the cops sent
enter a home without an invitation. Some Achilles Heels are in to arrest him; only the heroes can apprehend the fiend. At
best represented as Psychological Limitations, such as worst, the villain waltzes through the police trap and achieves
"Aversion to Garlic." his foul objectives anyway:
The lower the campaign's power level, the greater the "Twenty men, commissioner! Twenty policemen, and the
Achilles Heel should be. To use an ice elemental for an Phantom still kidnapped my daughter!"
example, in a superhero campaign ax 1% Vulnerability to "I know, Mr. Mayor, I know. One of those men was the
heat attacks might be enough, especially if one PC is a fire- Phantom, in disguise. We're still looking for the real officer's
user. In a heroic campaign, the Vulnerability might need to be body ... "
boosted to x2 or even higher, so the heroes can defeat the If the villain's plans are less definite, the heroes still might
elemental with torches. be able to lure the villain into an ambush. Note, however, that
Likewise, Susceptibilities should be gauged according to the smarter the villain is, the more subtle the trap must be.
the heroes' ability to take advantage of them. If the sub- The bait must be judged carefully to appeal to the villain's
stance or condition to which a creature is Susceptible is motives. What's more, one still has to beat the villain or
uncommon or hard to force on the creature, the condition monster once he/she/it arrives.
should do a lot of damage quickly. If the Red Death can only For example: Solitaire assures the other Champions that
be destroyed by burning the soul-talisman it wears, and the Demonologist couldn't resist a chance to steal the legendary
heroes are sitting ducks before its power, maybe it should Necronomicon, and indeed he shows up to steal the price-
take 3d6 STUN and BODY per phase instead of per minute. less tome -supposedly on tour as part of a rare book
On the other hand, if the Red Death is destroyed by sunlight display-from the vault of the local university. Unfortunately,
and its powers aren't instantly lethal to heroes, a mere ld6 he comes loaded for bear; not only is he habitually paranoid
STUN per phase might be enough: the heroes desperately about traps, he expects he may have to fight other sorcerers
risk their lives keeping the fiend away from cover w hile it out for the same prize!
howls in agony, scarlet vapors boiling from its bubbling hide,
etc. etc. As always, nothing's more important than giving the Find The Nemesis
players an exciting story! So none of the heroes can fight the monster effectively.
For GMs, the most important practical aspect of Achilles Maybe they can find some fabulous weapon that can destroy
Heels is how the PCs and players discover them. If a the horror. Getting the weapon should be an adventure in
powerful Nameless Horror can only be stopped by a itself. For a supernatural horror, magic weapons or talismans
counterspell that sends it back from whence it came, make are the norm; the heroes must seek Excalibur, or the ancient
sure the PCs can learn about the spell. If a villain is paralyzed tome which contains the counterspell or whatever. Horrors
by high-frequency sound, let investigative-minded heroes from space. or born o f science gone mad, call for appropri-
uncover an old legend about how the villain was trapped by ately super-scientific weapons; the heroes must persuade
men with whistles, or have a bystander report how the villain Professor Oglethorpe to build a Neutronic Reversal Ray for
dropped a victim and ran as a nearby car skidded and them, only Professor Oglethorpe is in an insane asylum, or
screeched to a halt. Finding a horror's secret weakness prison or he demands a million dollars for the job. Or
shouldn't be easy, but there should be some way for obser- Oglethorpe is willing, but needs special components that
vant players to figure it out, either from carefully-planted cost more money than the heroes have, or aren't for sale at
clues or from some convenient sage (an aged occultist, the any price. Or the heroes know that Dr. Destroyer has a
scientist who created the monster, etc.) Neutronic Reversal Ray, and have to steal it from his heavily-
Of course, knowing a Horror Enemy's special weakness guarded headquarters. And so on, ad infinitum.
doesn't mean that it instantly becomes a pushover. Not
Enabling Allies
many beings will politely wait for newly-enlightened heroes The heroes might also look for someone who is able to
to destroy it. They go down fighting ...
fight the Horror Enemy. If you can't fight a ghost, call the
Setting Traps Ghostbusters. While this may work well enough in comics or
If one can figure out a Horror Enemy's motives and plan of novels, where crossovers are welcome, it doesn't work so
action, maybe one can anticipate where it will strike next: well in games. The PCs are supposed to be the focus of the
"But if the Phantom is murdering the original cast of story. The adventure's resolution will feel anticlimactic if the
'Nightingale Memories' in reverse alphabetical order .. .My heroes only have to usher the Revered Elder to the demonic
God! Cicely's next! And he always strikes at midnight-we invasion and watch him close the dimensional portal.
only have two hours to find her!" If used at all, NPCs with powers effective against a Horror
The plot could resolve right there. The heroes find Cicely Enemy should merely help the heroes defeat the enemy. To
just as the Phantom prepares to stuff rabid ferrets down her use the example of the Revered Elder again , perhaps the
throat, and they beat the tar out of him. But what if the enemy heroes use his magic to sneak into the demonic citadel, and
is so slippery that he can escape four or five people grabbing then the aged sorcerer holds back the demonic hordes while
for him at once? Then, perhaps, the GM should allow the the heroes go one-onone with Baphomet: if they can defeat
heroes some time to prepare a trap. This could be as simple the demon lord , his fortress will return to Hell. NPCs can be
as hiding in the closet to jump out and take the villain by enablers, but the GM should never use them as the cavalry
surprise. The GM must judge how well a trap would neutral- coming over the hill to save the day.
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