A Bit of Monster Island fun...

[Mongoose Pete]

Woke up this morning to a bracing -30 degrees, with no let up from the deep minus 20's for the rest of the week. The house is chilly, I've got rime ice growing up the insides of my windows and I'm only keeping warm with a wood fire and copious amounts of hot coffee.

The now fourth month of contiguous subzero temperatures however is causing my hibernating brain to struggle to remain immersed in the imagined lush temperate/tropical climate of Monster Island, let alone dream up its weirder inhabitants. So for a bit of fun I've decided to hold a little competition, to both stimulate my creativity and give some of you a chance to get your favourite monster in print.

To enter all you need do is to write up your own beast or beasts (something suitable to put up against a party of PCs - no daikaiju) along with stats, description and a bit of interesting blurb about its habits and ecology, then post it here in this thread. It can be something from mythology or a weird horror dreamt up by your own imagination - just make sure its name isn't copyright from some other RPG. :wink:

If there is a big enough response I'll pick the best one (or several if there are lots of entries) and slot it into the book. I can't offer anything as a prize save a sense of self satisfaction and bragging rights if your particular monster gets chosen.

Anyone up for it? If so, then start posting away. Multiple entries are encouraged!

 

[Jujitsudave]

It's about 80 F out here. I'm in shorts with the air on.

 

[Mixster]

This sounds like a nice idea, is there a deadline?

 

[Mongoose Pete]

This sounds like a nice idea, is there a deadline?

Lets say 06:00 GMT on the 25th, since I have to submit the manuscript at the end of the month. However, the bleakness of the responses thus far means that you have it pretty much in the bag if you turn in something half way decent by next Thursday. :wink:

 

[Antalon]

Well, I hope with the weekend I may get some time to put something together.

 

[ThatGuy]

Me too!

 

[Dan True]

If we submit images of the monsters, in appropriate quality, can they be added or shouldn't we bother?

- Dan

 

[Mongoose Pete]

If we submit images of the monsters, in appropriate quality, can they be added or shouldn't we bother?

I'm pretty sure that all the artwork will farmed out. However, including an image might help the artist get the correct 'idea' of what the creature should look like.

On the other hand, if the art is awesome you might get an email from the Layout Director asking if you'd like to illustrate some others. One never knows...

 

[Mixster]

This sounds like a nice idea, is there a deadline?

Lets say 06:00 GMT on the 25th, since I have to submit the manuscript at the end of the month. However, the bleakness of the responses thus far means that you have it pretty much in the bag if you turn in something half way decent by next Thursday. :wink:

Yeah, but I wouldn't submit it unless I thought it was way more than half-decent, I have my standards.

 

[Dan True]

On the other hand, if the art is awesome you might get an email from the Layout Director asking if you'd like to illustrate some others. One never knows...

Well, I can't draw for sh**, but I have a friend who is great at it (she's drawn a lot professionally for some larps and a tatoo shop) and I was going to ask her for some images for inspiration. It was just if I should send it along as well or not.

- Dan

 

[Deleriad]

Heres an idea that comes from reading too much swords & sorcery pulp stuff when I was a nipper

Giant Bat-Winged Ape
“There’s no such thing as a giant, bat-winged, arrrghhhhh”
Families of these strange creatures live among vertiginous canyons and sheer escarpments, roosting during the day in foul caves to emerge at night and swoop on unsuspecting prey.

The ape’s size is a reflection of its five metre wingspan as even the biggest of the apes weigh not much more than 200kg and stand around 2m tall. Females and juveniles are about the height and weight of a chimpanzee.

The ape’s wings are not strong enough to allow sustained flight, instead they hunt by perching on high cliff tops, waiting for prey to emerge. Then falling almost silently they dive down, grabbing the victim in their prehensile feet and unfolding their wings to use the speed of the attack to glide to a high point. Alternately they are fearsomely accurate with thrown and dropped rocks so sometimes a family will hunt a large animal together, bombarding it with rocks before landing to feast.

Families are aggressive and territorial, defending both their cave complexes and normal hunting grounds to the death. When a young male grows to adulthood it will either have to defeat the patriarch or leave to find new territory of his own.

Rumours of a kingdom of fully intelligent bat-winged apes remain to this day though even darker rumours of vampiric apes are dismissed by all right-thinking sages.

STR 3D6+12 23
CON 3D6 11
SIZ 2D6+18 25
INT 7 7
POW 3D6 11
DEX 3D6+3 14
CHA 7 7


1D20 Hit Location AP/HP
1-3 Right Leg 2/8
4-6 Left Leg 2/8
7-9 Abdomen 2/9
10-12 Chest 2/10
13-15 Right Wing 0/7
16-18 Left Wing 0/7
19-20 Head 2/8


Combat Actions 3, Damage Modifier +1D10, Magic Points 11, Movement 8m/10m, Strike Rank +14

Typical Armour: Thick Hide. No Armour Penalty

Traits: Echo-location, Gliding,

Skills: Athletics 75%, Evade 60%, Perception 35%, Persistence 45%, Resilience 65%, Stealth 55%, Survival 40%

Combat Styles
Bite 35%, Unarmed 55%, Thrown Rock 75%
Weapons
Type SIZ Reach Damage AP/HP
Bite M T 1D8+1D10 As for Head
Unarmed M L 1D6+1D10 As for Arm
Thrown rock L - 1D6+1D10 Range: 30m

 

[Mixster]

Does the ape have both wings and arms, or just arms?

Hit location says just wings, but the unarmed fighting style suggests it has arms.

Apart from that, I love it! That sets the bar pretty high.

 

[Mongoose Pete]

Off to a good start, with a classic S&S beast. Thanks Delariad.

 

[Deleriad]

Does the ape have both wings and arms, or just arms?

Hit location says just wings, but the unarmed fighting style suggests it has arms.

Apart from that, I love it! That sets the bar pretty high.

Thanks.

Just wings. I should make it clear that it throws rocks with its feet. I suppose in this case "unarmed" should be read literally... 8)

 

[Deleriad]

Another one. Last one for the day.

Radium Men
The precise origin of the species is unknown as their own name for themselves so outsiders simply call them Radium Men. A normal Radium man is a tall, slightly built humanoid with a terra-cotta coloured skin and no bodily hair of any type. Their eyes are somewhat like large fly eyes and instead of a nose they have two, small, vertical skin flaps.

They live largely in the worst deserts and badlands, seeming to draw strength from extreme heat and not needing regular food and drink. To date only male members of the species have been observed; it is not known whether females or children exist and, if they don’t, how they reproduce.

Their name comes from their fact that even the presence of a Radium Man is toxic to all forms of life due to the invisible miasma it emits. Extended exposure to a Radium Man leads to nausea, bleeding and eventually, asphyxiation. It appears to be the case that these emissions also sustain the Radium Men in some way but that over time an area becomes exhausted, forcing them to migrate to new locales.

Radium Men wear nothing but simple leather harnesses and loin-cloths. They are fully intelligent but seem disinclined to communicate with outsiders and have never been known to use magic. Usually encountered in hunting groups of 2-4, they favour obsidian edged daggers and Radium Lances.


Dice Average
STR 3D6-1 10
CON 2D6+6 13
SIZ 2D6+4 11
INT 2D6+9 16
POW 3D6 11
DEX 2D6+9 16
CHA 3D6 11


1–3 Right Leg –/5
4–6 Left Leg –/5
7–10 Abdomen –/6
11–12 Chest –/7
13–15 Right Arm –/4
16–18 Left Arm –/4
19–20 Head –/5

Combat Actions 3, Damage Modifier Zero, Magic Points 11, Movement 8m, Strike Rank +16
Typical Armour: None

Traits: Toxic, Incapable of Magic Point regeneration.

Skills: Athletics 40%, Brawn 25%, Evade 45%, First Aid 25%, Influence 25%, Perception 40%, Persistence 43%, Resilience 58%, Sleight 40%, Stealth 40%

Combat Styles
Dagger 55%, Radium Lance 65%, Unarmed 35%

Weapons
Type SIZ Reach Damage AP/HP
Dagger S S 1D4+1 6/8
Radium Lance L VL 1D10+1 4/10

Despite its name, the Radium Lance is a long spear used two-handed. It is also capable of firing a bolt of Radium with a range of 100m. The Radium blast does no damage but inflicts hugely accelerated Radium poisoning with an immediate onset time and resistance time of 1 minute rather then 1 hour. This effect lasts for a number of minutes equal to the wielder’s POW. The Radium spear bolt can only be used once before recharging. It is recharged by the wielder transferring his own Magic Point

Radium Poisoning.
The severity of the poisoning depends on the number of Radium Men present. One Radium Man causes nausea, two to four causes nausea and bleeding, more than four causes nausea, bleeding and asphyxiation.
Potency: Radium Man’s POW. Onset: 1 hour of exposure. Duration: presence of Radium Men plus 1D3 hours per condition suffered. Resist: Resilience. Resist time: at onset then hourly until duration expires. Effect: At onset make the first roll. If the roll is failed the victim starts to suffer Nausea. If it succeeds there are no symptoms until the next resistance roll is made. After each hour a new resistance roll is made. If the roll is a success the victim suffers no symptoms for that hour. If it fails the condition increases in severity (e.g. from nausea to nausea and bleeding).

Radium Men do not eat regular food, rather they bathe in natural radium or the emissions of a creature killed through radium poisoning. They do not regenerate Magic Points naturally, instead they lose half their current Magic Points every week (round up the loss). Once on zero Magic Points they become enfeebled and will usually die within one more week. They can only gain Magic Points through exposure to natural radium or the decaying flesh of creature killed from radium poisoning in which case they can regenerate 1D3 Magic Points per hour.

 

[Ultor]

The Baraqu (Ba-RAH-ku)

The Baraqu is a jungle predator, occupying much the same ecological niche as the jaguar. It lives mostly in the canopy and is adapted primarily to run along thick branches. It is about the size of a panther, but has a head at each end of its body and two sets of forelegs, one at each end, allowing it to scramble in each direction. It also leaps, but given the lack of hind legs, does so by leaping downwards. Its paws have extremely sharp claws that enable it to climb swiftly, even if it looks awkward while doing so. From the middle of its back extends a long tail of sorts, which sports a bony club-like end. The first its victims know about a Baraqu attack is when the tail descends from the trees and whacks them, often stunning them. The Baraqu then leaps on its victim with its sharp claws and razor-like teeth, ripping and rending, often with both heads at once.

Its colors range from bright green to brown, depending on the predominant color in the local canopy, but some Baraqus have yellow stripes as well. Quite often, they hunt in packs. A lone victim stunned by the tail attack is often leapt on by several other baraqus, which make short work of him. Sages have speculated as to how the creature mates, but no-one has ever observed a mating in the wild, and the few that have been captured show no signs of wanting to breed in captivity.

STR 3d6+3 14
CON 3d6 11
SIZ 2d6+9 16
INT 5 5
POW 3d6 11
DEX 2d6+12 19

CAs 3
DM +1d2
MPs 11
Move 12m in canopy, 8m on ground
SR +15

Combat Styles
Tail Club 65%, Bite 40%, Rend 60%

Weapons
Tail Club, Sz M, Rch VL, Damage 1d6+1d2, AP/HP as for Midquarters, CMs Stun
Bite, Sz M, Rch T, Damage 1d6+1d2, AP/HP as for Head, CMs Bleed
Claw, Sz M, Rch M, Damage 1d8+1d2. AP/HP as for Leg, CMs Grip, Bleed

1-2 Head #1 1/6
3-4 Right Leg #1 1/6
5-6 Left Leg #1 1/6
7-9 Chest #1 1/8
10-11 Midquarters 1/7
12-14 Chest #2 1/8
15-16 Right Leg #2 1/6
17-18 Left Leg #2 1/6
19-20 Head #2 1/6

Note: Treat Midquarters as abdomen.

Typical armor: Fur

Traits: Formidable Natural Weapon (tail), Night Sight, Two Headed

New Trait: Two Headed – normal rules for head damage apply, but the creature does not die or fall unconscious until both heads have been disabled or until the creature dies from blood loss and shock in the event of a major wound to one head. Unconsciousness in one head means that that head is unable to bite and imposes a 20% skill penalty on everything the creature does until consciousness is regained.

Skills: Athletics 80%, Evade 55%, Perception 80%, Persistence 43%, Resilience 43%, Stealth 90%, Survival 40%

Combat Notes: A Barraqu will generally hit to stun with its tail first, then leap attack once the victim is stunned. It will either rip and rend with its claws using Bleed or Grip with its claws and bite. A Barraqu is capable of attacking two victims at once in the right circumstances.

 

[Rurik]

Ok, here is my go at this:


Shuwaggan

Shuwagga (sing. Shuwaggan) resemble large primates with long powerful arms and covered in white or grey fur. They are equally at home on the ground or swinging through the trees and are fiercely territorial. Shuwaggan have a curious behavior of keeping other creatures as ‘pets’, and are particularly enamored with other humanoids.

Shwuagga can stand erect and move bipedally but often use their arms similair to an ape when at a full run. They are excellent climbers and can swing through trees with ease. Their arms are extremely long, almost reaching the ground when they are standing fully erect. They have strong hands with long fingers that end in large nails similiar to a sloths claws. They are highly intelligent, though not sentient, and use simple tools. Some use clubs or rocks as weapons in combat, and they have been known to use human weapons if they capture them, and even wear peices of armor or helmets - the shinier the better.

Male Shuwagga stand over six feet tall when erect while females are about 5 feet tall and more lithe than the males. They are covered in a white or grey hair over their whole bodies and have ape like faces with large mouths and big incisors. They can crack the hardest of nuts in with their powerful jaws.

Though omnivorous they eat primarily leaves, nuts, roots and giant insects. They will eat other mammals if there is no other food. The leaf of the Mucala has a narcotic effect on them, while the Simlic root can cause them to have visions - they are very unpredictable while under its influence. Consuming he Gruerin FIre Beetle on the other hand causes them to go into a frenzy and become very aggressive. Shuwagga seek out all of these delectable morsels.

They live in family packs, typically from as few as 6-8 or as large as 30 or even 40 members. A pack does not have any dominant leader, they all share in the pack duties as equals. They are very territorial and will attack any intruders into their territory. The young are cared for communally as are the old. Sometimes a male will become a loner and leave the pack to live alone. Some packs live in trees, building large covered nests and platforms. For larger packs these tree communities can be quite elaborate, with comunal structures and storehouses for food and other ‘things’. Other packs live in caves, and some build wigwam like ‘nests’ on the ground similar to landlocked beaver dams.

Shuwagga are known hoarders and collect things. All kinds of things. Shiny things. Most strangely, they like to collect living things. They will keep all kinds of hapless animals as ‘pets’ but are especially fond of other animals that resemble them and often have monkey pets. Humans (and other humanoids) are particularly fascinating to them and if they capture one or more they will try to keep them. They will put them in a ‘nest’ and guard them, ocassionally bringing them out in fromt of the whole pack to see what amusing things they might do. Shwuagga often cripple their pets to make it harder for them to escape, and a pet that tries to run away may have it’s leg broken while an agressive pet may suffer a broken arm. Well behaved pets will earn more freedom, and may eventually be allowed to roam freely around the community. Shuwagga are very protective of their pets, and will fight to defend them if something threatens to harm or steal them.

In combat Shuwagga can attack with their powerful claws and have a potent bite. They are also excellent grapplers with they can crush the breath out of creatures they grapple with their long arms. As has been mentioned they often use weapons in combat, usually natural clubs or rocks either thrown or used as bashing weapons. They can figure most human melee weapons and thrown missle weapons, and may use these if they have them.

Male Shuwagga

STR 3d6+6 (17)
CON 2d6+6 (13)
SIZ 2d6+9 (16)
INT 8
POW 3d6 (11)
DEX 3d6+3 (14)
CHA -

Combat Actions: 3
Damage Modifier: +1d4
Magic Points: 11
Movement: 10m
Strike Rank: +11

Armor: 1 point (fur - no penalty). Rarely scraps of human armor.

Weapons:
Claw (Size M, Reach M, Skill 75%, Damage 1d6+1+1d4, AP 1, HP Arm).
Bite (Size M, Reach T, Skill 50%, Damage 1d3+1d4, AP1, HP Head)
Thrown Rock (Skill 55%, Damage 1d3+1d4 Range 10m, Load -, Size S, CM Stun Loc.)

Skills: Athletics 90%, Brawn 60%, Evade 75%, Perception 75%, Persistence 40%, Resilience 65%, Stealth 60%, Unarmed 75%

Female Shuwagga

STR 2d6+3 (14)
CON 2d6+6 (13)
SIZ 2d6+3 (10)
INT 8
POW 3d6 (11)
DEX 3d6+6 (17)
CHA -

Combat Actions: 3
Damage Modifier: 0
Magic Points: 11
Movement: 8m
Strike Rank: +13

Armor: 1 point (fur - no penalty).

Weapons:
Claw (Size M, Reach M, Skill 75%, Damage 1d4+1, AP 1, HP Arm)
Bite (Size M, Reach T, Skill 50%, Damage 1d3 AP1, HP Head)
Thrown Rock (Skill 75%, Damage 1d3, Range 10m, Load -, Size S, CM Stun Loc.)

Skills: Athletics 90%, Brawn 30%, Evade 85%, Perception 75%, Persistence 40%, Resilience 50%, Stealth 90%, Unarmed 50%

 

[Antalon]

Finally some time to post:

The Dead Hanger tree

“Help, Help”, a rasping voice echoed amongst the trees as Veld and Sir Strom sought a camp. “Hark! A cry for aid, from yonder clearing”, Sir Strom strode forward. At the centre of a glade swung a man, left hanging from a gnarled tree but still, clearly, alive. Desperately the man mouthed silent, choked off words. “What says he?” asked Sir Strom. “I know not Lord”, answered Veld, “perhaps just a brigand?”. “It matters not, the King’s justice is mine to dispense!” and with that Sir Strom strode into the clearing. The man, hanging, swinging even though no wind blew became more agitated, seeming distressed. Then, a resigned look crossed his face. Sir Strom stopped, puzzle. Something was wrong! The ground erupted, earth flew and Veld yelped, leaping back and rolling for cover. He looked and there saw his master Sir Strom, two root-like tentacles transfixed his torso as the branches of the tree appeared to reach toward the struggling knight. More dead would soon be hanging!

An animal, adapted to look like a tree, lures prey using a gruesome method of suspending a near dead victim, usually strong enough to be seen to be alive and maybe call for help. From a distance, it looks as if the ‘tree’ has been used as a gibbet for a lynching perhaps. Once prey is close enough, its branches and ‘roots’ erupt from the ground to entangle and pierce. Then it stands dormant, tree-like as it feeds on the decaying corpses and, worse of all, the pain and thoughts of victims it leaves hanging from its branches. Of animal intelligence, it is nonetheless evil perhaps created by some twisted druid or sorcerer. Usually solitary, but imagine a whole grove...

The Dead Hanger ‘plants’ itself, using its Disguise skill to blend into surrounding flora to appear as an innocuous tree. The planting safely hides its most vulnerable part, its brain, safely in the earth. While planted it cannot move. But, taking a full combat round, it may wrench itself free and then moves with surprising speed, trampling any in its way. This is a last resort when in deadly peril. The Dead Hanger is at home from deciduous woodland to tropical jungle, but cannot tolerate hard frosts or long winters.

The Dead Hanger is usually ‘planted’ near a common, but not too frequently used path. Leaching the memories and thoughts of its victims as they swing from its branches, it uses this information to find a suitable hunting ground: in front of a cave mouth or entrance to a ruin, in sight of a camp-site off a forest road; near a gibbet at a cross-roads. Occasionally, the mad or twisted use a Dead Hanger as a guard, enticing it to plant itself at their lair and feeding it regularly.

Combat actions: Using its Disguise skill, it hopes to surprise any who approach too close (opposed by Perception). It then entangles and grips, its foes, who, once disarmed, dangle helplessly. Its ‘roots’ lash out to impale any other victims. It usually has 1d6 available branches and eights ‘roots’. It can reach up to ¼ size metres from the trunk with its roots, that usually lie hidden in the ground spread in a spoke fashion from its trunk. It uses its roots to parry incoming blows, but cannot evade while planted.

It will flee if suffering a serious wound to the trunk or it loses all branches or roots (which grow back over a week or so). If a branch or root is hit, pick the root randomly unless the PCs use choose location manoeuvre. If moving (having unplanted itself), the Dead Hanger’s roots serve as a protective shield, offering the roots AP as protection, but at least three roots must be available to form an armoured barrier.

Dead Hanger Tree
Insidious, disguised, strangler-aberration
Characteristics
STR 6d6+3 (24)
CON 4d6 (14)
SIZ 6d6+12 (33)
INT 9 (9)
POW 2d6 (7)
DEX 2d6+3 (10)

1d20 Hit Location AP/HP
1- 8 Branch 4/9
9 – 13 Trunk 6/11
14 – 20 ‘Roots’ 4/10
special Brain (head) (4)/7

A Dead Hanger has 1d6 branches and typically 8 roots.
If moving use the root hit location to strike the brain,otherwise it is inaccessible (without digging).

Traits: formidable natural weapons, life sense, trample
Typical Armour: bark-like skin (no penalty), also the dead-hanger takes minimum damage (dice and dmg modifier) from impaling or bludgeoning only weapons. A good axe is needed!

Hero Point 0
Combat Actions 3
Damage Modifier +1d10
Magic Points 7
Movement 0 / 10m
Strike Rank +14

Skills: Athletics 60%, Brawn 75%, Evade 15%. Perception 30%, Persistence 30%. Resilience 70%, Disguise 80%

Equipment: Corpses and loot from the corpses of previous victims

Combat Styles: Choking Branch 45%, Piercing Root 30%

Weapons
Choking branch (Size L; Reach L; Dmg 1d4 + 1d10; AP/HP 4/9, Entangle and Grip)
Piercing root (Size M; Reach VL; Dmg 1d8 + 1d10; AP/HP 4/10, Impale)

The root has a reach of 9 metres.

 

[Antalon]

Pete, one thing I have noticed when putting the creature together that it would be nice to have some more GM aids:

1) a guide as to the right SIZ for different height, length or weight of creatures.

2) Some more formal guidance on how to allocate HPs to different locations, or even to design the hit location d20 chances for unusual beasts / creatures

Antalon.

 

[ThatGuy]

Ghost Orchid

So, I'm going to start with a preamble about my inspiration for this one that people may, or may not, care about .

Years ago, I was vacationing in Costa Rica with my then girlfriend (now my fiancé), and while hiking around near hot springs at the foot of the Arenal Volcano, we came across a clearing with a single, large flower growing smack in the middle. A beautiful, otherworldly, white ghost orchid (of "Adaptation/The Orchid Thief" fame) stood alone in the middle of the clearing. Enchanted, we moved closer, and as my girlfriend reached out to touch it...I grabbed her hand to stop her.

I had recognized that what had, at first, seemed to be a thin frond on the plant was actually a thin, bright green snake. I had the unnerving feeling it was both watching us (which it was most definitely doing) and protecting the plant. I was also struck by the way the snake had extended itself- almost a full foot- suspended in the air, away from the flower itself, but easily within striking distance- and perfectly still. Almost as if the two were communicating somehow.

We were informed later, the snake was indeed poisonous.

Beautiful, enchanting, mysterious, mystical, bizarre, dangerous and potentially deadly. All applied.

I always thought it could make for a good gaming scene and scenario.

I also drew this thing up quickly to make the deadline (I'm going out of town), so it may need a bit of editing .

So, without further ado, here's my submission:

Ghost Orchid

The ghost orchid is a beautiful, large white Orchid that can grow anywhere, but is most bountiful in the depths of wet forests. It has an enchanting quality that can draw the eye to the exclusion of odd specifics that might otherwise be noticed about the surroundings. There is usually a small clearing surrounding the ghost orchid, as well as the occasional venomous snake, and occasionally other animals nearby.

This is because the ghost orchid has possessed them.

These possessed creatures will attack any foreign creature attempting to "trespass" within POW meters of the Ghost Orchid.

In addition, any creature coming within POW range of meters of the ghost orchid can be spiritually "attacked" by the Ghost Orchid itself. It can either attempt to discorporate a PC or attempt to possess them. If discorporated they (the PC) die. If they are possessed they will do the Orchids bidding- which is always to protect, clean and tend to the clearing, as well as clean and feed themselves. A Ghost Orchid can possess and control up to it's POW in living creatures and spirits.

If the Ghost Orchid should lose the spirit combat, the ghost orchid can be bound as a spirit. The other option is to essentially discorporate the ghost orchid from it's physical manifestation, in which case the plant will wither and die within two to three days.

Upon the Ghost orchids demise or defeat in spirit combat, all of the Ghost Orchid's thralls will be instantly released. Whether they are friendly, neutral, or hostile is up to GM fiat. Thralls will often time include nearby insects- ants or bees- each level of hive SIZ utilizing 1 point of POW in control. It is not uncommon for the Orchid to also be in control of a large cat of some sort, as well as a bird.

The physical body of the Ghost Orchid can be ground up for alchemical uses- with a successful difficult (-20%) Lore (Plant or Alchemy) roll to identify the plant and a successful Lore (Alchemy) roll to process the remains- it is a potent "fairy powder" (as per A&E) giving a whopping +30% to spirit based magics.

If defeated in spirit combat, the Ghost Orchid will consider itself to be "mated". As a result, in a number of days equal to the G.O.'s POW + the POW of the PC, the Ghost Orchid will slowly close, then explode with spores. This mating indicates the plants transition from "male" to "female". The explosion of spores is toxic, though the binder of the ghost orchid will not suffer the effects. This could cause a general feeling among the party of: "That thing is more trouble than it's worth! Can you get rid of it already?!"

The spores have a POT equal to the Ghost Orchids POWx3 resisted by a resilience roll. The onset is immediate, treat as suffocating until an opposed resilience roll is made, but instead of 2 points of damage, the orchid causes 2 per failed roll to the chest.

Movement of the plant must include the roots. If the plants physical body dies before its "mating" can be "brought to term" the Ghost Orchids spirit will slowly die, losing 1/3 of its POW per day, until it is spiritually substance-less. The PC can not be parted by more than the Ghost Orchid's POW in meters from the physical plant for more than the Ghost Orchid's POW in hours. If so, the Ghost Orchid will lose 1/3 of it's POW permanently upon the POW number of hours lapse, and for every subsequent 24 hours. The PC that binds the ghost orchid is immediately "told" by the spirit that the spirit will be slowly excommunicated from the mundane planed without it's "body" and the time frames that apply. The spirit of the ghost orchid will not communicate about the exploding spores or their imminence.

Once the Ghost Orchid explodes, the plant withers and dies, but the spirit remains bound. The "courtship" period is over. The plants carcass can be used alchemically as described above. Of the spores, if fertile ground is found, only 1 Ghost orchid will grow, unless a 100 is rolled on a d100. If this one in 100 chance is made, two Ghost Orchids will grow, making their clearing formidable indeed. How a PC would deal with both possessive "women/spirits" is still another, much more difficult task.

Once bound, the Ghost Orchid actually adds 1/3 of it's POW to a PC's. This effects everything from magic points to skills, while the spirit is released. The spirit will never attempt to "leave", and all Spirit binding rolls have a +20% modifier. PC's also instantly gain Lore (Plant) at +20, and Lore (Spirit World) +10. This effect is permanent and constant- not just available when the spirit is released.

In addition to the POW benefit, the ghost orchid can effectively "set the stage" or "be the conduit" for a PC to attempt to discorporate someone (or something) else. Note that the Ghost Orchid itself is NOT doing the discorporating. The PC is attempting to do the discorporating himself, and risks his own life in losing (he himself would be discorporated in such an instance).

In the way of the shaman, a Ghost Orchid can be "gifted" to another...but the spirit will resist. Another Spirit combat must ensue to gift the Ghost Orchid to someone else. The new owner must then succeed in the binding of the spirit of the Ghost Orchid, though, it should be so weakened as to not truly be able to resist. If the Ghost orchid wins the spirit combat with it's initial owner it resists the parting, and another attempt can not be made for 24 hours.

Optionally, the Ghost Orchid spirit can act as a woman- supportive when used respectfully, but when overly abused or neglected- spiteful and angry.

The Ghost Orchid has POW and Charisma, but is very delicate, and easily killed. Treat it as having 1 HP separately for it's Flower, Stem, and roots.

STR: 1
CON: 1
SIZ: 1d3 (2)
INT: 8
POW: 2d6+12 ( 18 )
DEX: 1
CHA: 2d6+12 ( 18 )

CA: 1
DAM mod: -
Mov: -
Magic Points: 18
SR: 5

No physical attacks.

Spectral Whisper: 90% (POWx5), Persistence: 72% (POWx4), Discorporate: 78% (INT+POWx3), Perception: 72%, Resilience: 25% (Can also experience surroundings through the skills of it's thralls.)

Spirit Damage: 1d10

Location / Hit Points

1 Roots / 1
2-14 Stalk, fronds / 1
15-20 Flower / 1

Potential adventure hooks:

- A shaman wants the party to bring back a Ghost orchid, either to right a wrong, prove themselves, or as a write of passage.

- An alchemist will pay top dollar for the acquisition of a ghost orchid.

- an important villager/sacred creature has gone lost. Tracking it will lead to the ghost orchid.

- a princess has demanded a rare flower- a Ghost Orchid- be delivered to her in exchange for her hand in marriage. When the adventurer arrives with the spirit bound, the ghost orchid spirit is intensely jealous as to it's "man" being married to another...