Chosium Digest V28.2 Date: Sun, 11 Apr 1999 Pendragon Encounters, continued NICOR These scummy beings are the dread of anyone travelling through swampland. Spongy, gray-skinned beings of human size and appearance, Nicors are like water-logged Neanderthals, with vestigial suckers along the insides of their arms and across their chest. Their quasi-human faces have sunken into a disgusting sucker-like mouth long ago, with no nose, and only baleful black eyes below a heavy brow. They tend to be unarmed. SIZ 15 Move: 3 DEX 15 Damage: 4d6 STR 15 HP: 27 CON 12 Armour: 2 + 2 (furs and rags) APP 5 Attacks: double-claw attack @ 18 (the Nicor gets to roll its skill twice and choose the best result against its opponent, though the attack is against only one opponent ever, for 4d6), one bite @ 12 for 3d6 damage, or grapple @ 30 (this is assisted by the Nicor's suckers; once grappled, the victim is usually dragged into swamp-water and drowned). Avoidance: 5 Glory to Kill: 25 PLINY'S PEOPLE This is just one of the races of men which the famous Pliny the Elder "discovered" while "sailing" in his boat "the Poppy." Traces of this hunter-gatherer race can still be found amidst the semi-magical islands to Ireland's west and Britain's north. They appear as pale, big-boned humanoids, normal in every respect except for having their heads located in the top-half of their chest. They are generally a peaceful people and live a perilous life trying to remain in harmony with the magical/mythical beings of the islands. SIZ 13 Move: 2 DEX 11 Damage: 4d6 STR 14 HP: 28 CON 14 Armour: 0 + 6 Attacks: Spear 14, Dagger 8 Sig. Traits: Generous 16, Prudent 14, Trusting 16, Honest 12 Sig. Passions: Loyalty (Elder) 12 Sig. Skills: Hunting 12, Fishing 16, Boating 12, Industry 12, Faerie Lore 15, First Aid 10. Glory to Kill: 10 (but only if the People initiate the fight). PTERODACTYL These leathery birds have two hobbies: circling active volcanoes and attacking travelers for little reason other than food. Again, these beasts are an anachronism still to be found in the islands off the west coast of Ireland. SIZ 25 Move: 4 (12 flying) DEX 20 Damage: 5d6 STR 18 HP: 39 CON 14 Armour: 6 Attacks: Pterodactyls generally attack with their beak @ 16, swooping down upon their prey. Avoidance: 20 Glory to Kill: 50 RISULKI (Scandinavian Water Maiden) Two sets of stats are provided here. The Risulki appears normally as a Russian, Finnish or Scandinavian maiden washing in a stream, and has a magical song which can instill a great desire on hapless males and females alike to share the bath. The Risulki can also transform into a gigantic amphibious fish, like a cross between a giant salmon and a claw-bearing toad (yes, ugly). Maiden SIZ 12 Move: 4 (8 swimming) DEX 15 Damage: 5d6* STR 21 HP: 30 CON 18 Armour: None APP 21 Attacks: Grapple 12, Brawl 6 *The maiden is usually unarmed, thus 2d6 must be deducted from Brawling damage. Magic: Maiden's Song @ 25; consider this the same as Evoke Emotions (Lustful). The Song's effect lasts even if the Maiden turns into her Monster form. Monster SIZ 50 Move: 5 (10 swimming) DEX 12 Damage: 10d6 STR 35 HP: 75* CON 25 Armour: 12 *The monster has no unconsciousness statistic, and must be reduced to 0 hit points. Attacks: The monster has a combined charge/bite attack @ 21 for full damage, or one claw @ 15 (the monster uses it's claw when it has been wounded past the point of normal unconsciousness and can no longer move swiftly). Mod. to Valorous: -10, +10 Prudent Glory to Kill: 350 TREE SPIRIT This creature is the manifestation of a sort of Ysbryd (Nature Spirit) which usually appears to attack the unwary adventurer cutting down trees to make forts, rafts etc. It appears a green and greenery-tinged humanoid, gaunt but with immense upper body muscles. An animal's skull-like face is set with ram or bull horns, and a bull's tail hangs from scrawny withers. The Tree Spirit has long arms set with dangerous claws. It never uses weapons of its own, though it will cheerfully grab up those dropped by adventurers. SIZ 20 Move: 4 DEX 16 Damage: 7d6 STR 25 HP: 42 CON 22 Armour: 6 APP 4 Attacks: 2 claws @ 17 against one or two opponents (if 2 claws are used against one opponent and both succeed, consider the opponent grappled; it will the use its bite @15 until the opponent is dead), or any scavenged weapon @ 12. Though it is a weaker attack, Tree Spirits will opt to grab a weapon if possible. Avoidance: 50 Mod. to Valorous: -10 Glory to Kill: 80 WATER SPRITE These kinds of Fae are water elementals that dwell predominantly in rivers and lakes. To one with the sight, they take the form of beautiful men and women in fine raiment, living out their existence horizontally in the current and tide of the water. They are capricious and can be appeased with either sacrifices or offerings, otherwise take delight in drowning riders and their horses. This is especially true if they lie in wait as guardians to a sacred place that can be found on yonder side of the water. On rare occasion, these sprites can be conversed with and even courted. Sprites have been known to give up their more base urges for a pretty song or interesting tale from a comely bard. SIZ 10-18 Move: 4 (8 swimming) DEX 15 Damage: varies, by weapon type. STR 15-20 HP: 31-36 CON 16 Armour: 0 or 12 (Faerie Chainmail) APP 16-21 Attacks: Male Water Sprites can be treated in all regards as Extraordinary Knights for their attacks. Both males and females additionally have a Grapple @ 17 with which to drown passers by. When drowning, they prefer to attack in gangs, appearing to the uninitiated as a raging current sprung from nowhere. Sig. Skills: as appropriate. Avoidance: 10 versus Sight Glory to Kill: 30 WEHR-WOLF A breed of Lycanthrope occurring amongst the Saxons, this man-wolf shapeshifter passes for normal most the time. In groups of Saxon raiders, the Wehr-wolf may even be an accepted member of the group, feared and respected for his (or her) obvious Otherworldly touch. The statistics given here are for an average member of the ilk, though stats may vary between individuals. SIZ 18 Move: 5 DEX 15 Damage: 6d6 or weapon STR 21 HP: 39 CON 16 Armour: 6 or armour and shield Attacks: the Wehr-wolf can transform and attack as a wolf of giant kind, or partially transform and employ a claw attack @ 18, for 6d6 damage. Of course, as a berserk warrior the creature has other options also available. Sig. Skills: Hunting 14, Awareness 12 Sig. Passions: Madness 12 Avoidance: use Hunting Glory to Kill: 50 WOODEN MEN Wooden Men are the magical creations of Enchanters, and amongst the Fir Bolg spell-smiths are often created to assist with menial chores as well as personal protection. They are mindless except to the one who created them. They appear as a large, almost random agglomeration of wooden blocks, splinters and odds-and-ends, and are only kept together and mobile through magic. SIZ 30* Move: 4 DEX 8 Damage: 9d6 STR 30 HP: 60 CON 30 Armour: 8** * This SIZ rating reflects the density of the Wooden Men as well as their physical height. **Weapons which normally gain +1d6 against shields gain this bonus against Wooden Men. Attacks: 1 jagged wooden bludgeon @ 12 Vulnerability: Wooden Men are obviously susceptible to fire, though they lack the intelligence to realize this. Mod. to Valorous: -10 Glory to Kill: 100 -- To unsubscribe from the chaos-digest ML, send an "unsubscribe" command to chaos-digest-request@chaosium.com. Chaosium Inc., Call of Cthulhu, and Nephilim are Registered Trademarks of Chaosium Inc. Elric! and Pendragon are Trademarks of Chaosium Inc. All articles remain copyright their original authors unless otherwise noted.