(Part of the Scarlet Scarring, an adventure by Mike Phillips <msphil@widomaker.com>, based on an idea from John Troy <johntroy@tiac.net>)
I. Rabid Ratties
Shortly after entering the sewers, the HPs will encounter 3 Ratties (AErth Bestiary), which are scavenging in the area. Though not directly controlled by Hanah, they are drawn to this region because of the call to their cousins, the rats.
Ratties:
Identifier: Animal, Mammalia, Rodentia, Murid
Habitat: Subterranean AErth (Sapient)
Modes and Rates of Movement:
Scamper: 200 yds/BT
Run: 300 yds/BT
Swim: 100 yds/BT
Outstanding K/S Areas/Sub-Areas & STEEP:
Criminal Activities, Mental at 42-60 (40+2D10)
Criminal Activities, Physical at (43-70 (40+3D10)
Combat, Hand Weapons at 41-50 (40+1D10)
Escape at 46-55 (45+1D10)
Influence at 41-50 (40+1D10)
Subterranean AErth at 41-50 (40+1D10)
Subterranean Orientation at 65
Toxicology at 31-40 (30+1D10)
Dodging/Avoidance: Nil and 24/20/14 or by individual
Attractiveness: -4 on human-norm scale, but no Extreme Attractiveness roll necessary
Invulnerabilities: Nil
Susceptibilities: Nil
Average Armor Protection: 3
Quirks: Nil or by individual
Natural Weapons*:* The number in parentheses is the damage bonus with the damage bonus due to high BAC added.
Attacks BAC DT Base Bonus Claws (x2) 40 C 1D3 0 Bite 50 P 2D3 0 (2)* (by weapon) - - - 0
Powers:
Converse with Animals
Area of Effect: All animals of one type
Delivered by: Word and gesture
Range: 20' radius
Time: 1 CT
Duration: While concentrating
Frequency: 3/day
Description: This power is similar in nature to the Dweomercraeft, Green Casting Fauna Telempathy Cantrip.
Emotion Reading
Area of Effect: 1 subject
Delivered by: Touch
Range: Touch
Time: Instantaneous
Duration: 1 BT
Frequency: 1/day
Description: The effects of this power are comparable to the Divination Casting Empathy Cantrip.
Fellow Summoning
Area of Effect: 5-15 (5D3) subjects
Delivered by: Thought
Range: 1/2-mile radius
Time: 1D3 BTs
Duration: Instantaneous
Frequency: At will
Description: This power enables the being to call others of his kind to his presence.
Statistical Detail:
M: 74, EL: 59 P: 62, WL: 46, CL: 55 S: 44, EL: 35
MM: 37 MR: 37 PM: 25 PN: 37 SM: 44 SP: 35
MMCap: 13 MRCap: 13 PMCap: 9 PNCap: 13 SMCap: 8 SPCap: 8
MMPow: 12 MRPow: 12 PMPow: 8 PNPow: 12 SMPow: 7 SPPow: 7
MMSpd: 12 MRSpd: 12 PMSpd: 8 PNSpd: 12 SMSpd: 7 SPspd: 7
Armor Scheme:
Area Pierce Cut Blunt Fire Chem. Stun Elec.
Ultra 4 4 8 0 0 8 0
Super 3 3 6 0 0 6 0
Vital 2 2 4 0 0 4 0
Non 1 1 2 0 0 2 0
Average 2 2 5 0 0 5 0
Commentary & Description:
This race of intelligent rodents call themselves "Chucksquee," but humans always refer to them as Ratties. These creatures are omnivore-carnivores and scavengers, too. This certainly helps to assure their survival in the underground world. Humans view them as quite malign, because Ratties very much enjoy devouring humans, and they acquire captives for just that purpose.
Rodentia and humanity seem to have been at war always, and the Ratties of Subterranean AErth are no different in that regard - from their own perspective and from that of humans, too. These bipedal creatures have a culture similar to humanity;s own in the underground, and they compete with humans in particular. Ratties can use Heka nearly as well as humans, although Full Practitioners are not as common amongst their kind. When it comes to trading, the Ratties use renegade humans to front for them when relations with other humans are required. The Ratties manage to have some enclaves everywhere, from Shallowshadow to the depths of Deepdark.
Sensory: FH, HH, SI-N-U, TH, XD. (that means:
Note: The leader has Dweomercraeft, General at 31 STEEP, Dweomercraeft, Grey at 31 STEEP, Magick at 31 STEEP, Herbalism at 21 STEEP, Heka-Forging at 21 STEEP, M TRAIT Heka (389 Heka) and he is likely to use the following Castings:
Grey:
Penumbrate Armor Formula (20 + 1:1 for armor, up to 37)
Dimlights Spell (20 - dims lights within 31 ft r. of spot up to 31 yds distant for 31 CTs)
Well-tenebroused Blade Spell (35 + 60 + 100 = 195 for +10 dmg +10 BAC)
General:
Armor, Physical Cantrip (20 + 1:1 for armor, up to 37)
Disjunction Charm
Quicken Cantrip
Spiderwalk Spell
In addition, the leader is wielding a longsword of shining (it will never be tarnished, and it sparkled prettily, which is why he wasted the Heka on it!), and he has an amulet made of a rat's corpse, gilt in gold, which acts as a 250 Heka reservoir (general purpose).
If the HPs continue to explore the sewers, perhaps picking up on some of the strange air currents, or following echoed screams, they will be attacked by a Ghoul. The Ghoul will fight mindlessly, being starved. This should be the first indication to the HPs that the foe they are facing is abnormally difficult and, not surprisingly, immune to mundane weapons. Most parties will retreat at this point, and regroup.
Identifier: Undead
Habitat: AErth, many other spheres
Size: Man-sized
Modes & Rates of Movement (yds/BT):
Base: 120
Burrow through soft dirt: 1
Initiative Modifiers: Human Standard
Invulnerabilities: All non-enchanted weapons
Susceptibilities:
Contact: Fire (x2), Exposure: Allergic reaction; Severe: direct sunlight (1 pt. PD/CT, Dazed in 1 BT)
Outstanding-Important K/S Areas/Sub-Areas & STEEP:
(None usually, but possible in rare cases)
Joss (Anti-Joss) Factors: 0
Attractiveness: 1
Quirks: None usually
Average Armor Protection: 12
Worn: Possible in rare cases only
Heka-engendered: Possible in rare cases only
Natural Weapons*:
Attacks BAC DT Base Claw x 2 70 C 1D3+6 Bite 65 P 2D3 * Weapons are used in very rare cases only
Castings: In very rare cases only
Powers:
Gaze, Fearsome (Single Subject): Inaction of subject that CT unless Avoidance roll successful
Other:
Odor: The odor of a ghoul causes those within a 6-foot radius to choke versus Physical Neural Capacity at DR "Very Easy" (x4); Failure = 3D3 BTs spent retching and unable to act.
Disease: Wounds inflicted by a ghoul inflict a disease as noted below.
Statistical Detail: Base scheme (+/- 1D6)
M(Cunning): 90 P: 120, WL: 90, CL: 108 S: 100, EL: 80
MM: 45 MR: 45 PM: 60 PN: 60 SM: 30 SP: 70 MMCap: 15 MRCap: 15 PMCap: 25 PNCap: 25 SMCap: 15 SPCap: 30 MMPow: 15 MRPow: 15 PMPow: 18 PNPow: 18 SMPow: 5 SPPow: 20 MMSpd: 15 MRSpd: 15 PMSpd: 17 PNSpd: 17 SMSpd: 10 SPSpd: 20
Armor Scheme:
Area Pierce Cut Blunt Fire Chem. Stun Elec. Ultra 20 20 20 * * 32 * Super 15 15 15 * * 24 * Vital 10 10 10 * * 16 * Non 5 5 5 * * 8 * Average 12 12 12 * * 20 * * Invulnerable
Commentary & Description: Ghouls are vile Undead creatures which survive by feasting on living flesh. Though ghouls, like skeletons, are not intelligent per se, they are imbued with a form of malign and terrible Cunning in place of Mental TRAIT. This means they can't be attacked Mentally, but they can "think" nonetheless.
In the process of turning from human to ghoul, the body thins and becomes narrow and sinewy (ropey looking), the skin becomes leathery and greyish, hands and feet broaden and lengthen, and the nails of hands and feet become clawed. The skull elongates, the front growing to resemble a muzzle, and the teeth become pointed and sharp, with canine fangs and bone-crunching rear molars.
The touch of these monsters is unclean, and wounds inflicted by their claws will cause infection and disease of disgusting sort and potent STR and CON-R (42-60).
A few ghouls, perhaps 1 in 100, are able to retain Knowledge/Skills and abilities such as Heka use. These monstrous individuals are the leasers of those less able, and with their Powers they can assume human guise and operate in society disguised thus.
Ghulaz are vaguely dog-faced corpse-eaters of Preternatural power. They are larger than ghouls. Gholles are things even worse than ghulaz, with regenerative power and Supernatural potency.