A werewolf, or perhaps a slasher.
MONSTER
Start with: mask, weapon, trustworthy voice, victimology
A - Victims, Monster
B - Pawns, +1 Inhuman Physiology
C - Hunters, +1 Inhuman Physiology
D - Sacrifices, +1 Inhuman Physiology
Once upon a time, there lived a nameless monster.
The monster was dying to have a name.
So it set out on a journey to find its name.
A: Victims
Between adventures, you attract up to [level]+1 hapless goons: lantern boys, village fools, plucky street urchins, people no one will miss.
- Individually, they have 1HP and take no damage on a successful save vs aoe. Collectively, they are as helpful as a single character (if that) and take a single share of loot/xp.
- You get +[templates] to Hit while your goons are in formation. (This is their only contribution in combat.)
- You may treat any hirelings you personally take on as goons.
- You may reduce incoming damage by d12 by sacrificing one of your goons, as if you were sundering a shield.
Whenever something scary happens, your goons scatter, split up, and get lost, such that only one remains “on-screen”. Whenever you enter a new room, you can have one stumble back on-screen from behind curtains, inside closets, etc., teeth chattering and faces pale. If there is a non-obvious trap in the room, they've already triggered it (the gm describes their fate as part of the room description).
A: Monster
At any time, if your goons are on-screen, you can stumble off-screen and become a wandering monster on the encounter table. While the monster is out, you play as your goons.
The monster…
- …is a [level x 2] HD NPC under the GM’s control.
- …has your skills, class abilities, and equipment, yet is unrecognizable as you.
- …is mute, intelligent, and single-mindedly homicidal.
- …is drawn to loud noises (arrives in 1d3 turns).
- …doesn't trigger traps, is invisible to the undead, and can slip past locked doors.
- …cannot die, although it may appear to when reduced to 0 HP. Instead, it plays dead and escapes at the first opportunity. It cannot return until downtime has passed.
You can stumble back on-screen whenever the party enters a room (oh my god guys, did you know there's a monster in this dungeon, i only barely escaped and somehow ended up here!)
If the monster "dies" or you run out of goons, return on-screen or die.
If you die, the monster escapes, forever to haunt the encounter table.
The monster went to a village where nothing ever grew.
"Little girl, give me your name.
If you give me your name, I will make you strong."
Inhuman Physiology
The monster reveals inhuman physiology.
Additional attacks, darkvision, acid spit- gain one every time you level
up and another every time the monster "dies", negotiated with the GM
(see below). Ideally, the new ability is related to how it died:
gelatinous bones if it was crushed, immunity to fire if it was burned,
etc.
If an NPC sees you use these abilities as a human, you lose access to Victims, forever. (Other PCs may choose to ignore your eccentricities, but everyone has their limit.)
1d10 Example Monster Traits
- Wolf's Head: Gain an additional bite attack (d6).
- Ghoul Guts: Eat a whole corpse to gain d6 HP.
- Spring Heel: 40' vertical leap from standing.
- Fireproof: You are immune to fire.
- Ripper: Your nails deal d6 and bypass armor.
- Roar: Everything in earshot saves versus fear.
- Mimicry: Perfectly reproduce any sound you hear. Otherwise mute.
- Plague: [templates]-in-6 chance to inflict fever, visions, and shakes.
- Iron Head: Break stone and bend metal with the top of your skull.
- Toymaker: Swallow a doll or marionette to create a living puppet.
"If you'll feed my village, you can have my name."
The monster became the little girl with the pretty name.
The village became wealthy. There was plenty to eat.
B: Pawns
In place of hapless goons, you may choose to attract distinguished goons. They add +[level] to checks in a single, very specific skill.
If you know two secrets belonging to an NPC, you can command them to do anything, once.
C: Hunters
In place of hapless goons, you may choose to attract daring goons. They get their own turn in combat.
With a touch, you can change someone's fear response to one of the following: fight, flight, freeze, or fawn.
D: Sacrifices
In place of hapless goons, you may choose to attract devoted goons. They trust you completely, and will do obviously dangerous things if you tell them to.
You can summon your choice of any wandering monster to your location by sacrificing a goon: it bursts thru a door to gore them thru the chest, or rises from a lake to drown them.
The monster liked its new name, so it stayed inside.
But one day, it was just too hungry.
 |
| Tom Cuzor |
Δ: Final Girl
If you only have one goon left, she can kill the monster.
