[Horror] Sketchy Setting & Some Monsters

[Max Schreck]

I'm currently working on two projects that will hopefully see the light of day some time in the future. One of them is a post-holocaust SF setting (hey, Fallout 3 has just come out), and the other is a horror setting. The horror setting is the only one that has anything that remotely looks finished (some monsters), so I thought I'd share some preliminary thoughts on campaign background and some monsters from the setting's bestiary, both for any interested parties to pillage for their own games, and also for criticisms, witticisms, booing, applauding, math corrections, rules checking, suggestions and general feedback.

Some very brief and still sketchy background information:

I have envisioned my horror setting as basically two completely different worlds, one mundane and one horrific. The mundane world can be any "normal" GURPS setting, probably either modern or futuristic. I myself have planned to use this material for a not-too-distant (100 years, give or take) future campaign, but it can be used equally well for a modern one. The supernatural elements all occur in the "other" world. This otherworld is called Sodom (for now; maybe someone will come up with a better name), and is home to several nasty creatures.
The two worlds, the real world and the other world are completely separate. Supernatural occurrences and creatures are only encountered in the otherworld. I imagine that Sodom is not a real, physical place per se, but rather a part of a collective human subconscious. Maybe it's a dream world that certain people go to, when they have nightmares. Sodom resembles a giant, industrial wasteland with crumbling buildings, run-down tenement blocks, abandoned meat packing districts, eerie hospitals, etc.

That's what I've come up with so far on background. Not much, I know. As for what goes on in the nightmare world, how and why one goes there, how you leave, etc., I don't know yet. Like I said, it's still sketchy.

Now for some denizens of Sodom:

Puppeteer, -30 points
Puppeteers are fat, rust-coloured worms; they are eyeless and blind, but they have an uncanny sense of air vibrations that allows them to locate their hosts. Puppeteers are parasites preying on warm-blooded creatures. Their primary drive is not to feed from their hosts, though, but to seize control of them by suppressing all autonomous systems and taking over themselves. Puppeteers secrete a powerful sedative in their saliva with which they anaesthetize the victim’s skin, before they burrow into the body itself. Once inside they attempt to take control.

Attribute Modifiers: ST 1 [-90], DX+2 [40]
Secondary Characteristic Modifiers: Will+2 [10], Perception+2 [10], Speed+1 [20], SM -5
Advantages: Injury Tolerance (No Eyes, No Neck) [10], Permeation (Flesh) [5], Possession (Parasitic, -60%, No Memory Access, -10%) [30], Silence 2 [10], Vibration Sense (Air) [10]
Disadvantages: Blindness [-50], Vermiform [-35]
Features: Taboo trait (Fixed ST).

Torture Angel, 395 points
Torture Angels are monumentally hideous creatures native to Sodom (q.v.), the nightmare reality of the human subconscious. They are the architects of that dark abode, and are those responsible for the sufferings inflicted upon the unwilling visitors there. They are human-like in appearance, and perhaps in some un-guessable past they were humans. Now they are twisted travesties of the human form. They do not have a uniform appearance, but they have some things in common: they all bear marks of self-mutilation and torture, and they are unspeakably hideous to look upon, mostly because of the aforementioned mutilations, but also out of some indefinable, unearthly wrongness with their appearance.
Common themes to the Torture Angels’ appearance are crude surgical scars, metal objects inserted haphazardly through their skin, scabs, necrotic tissue, torn-off lips creating a hideous smile, open wounds, wounds crudely stapled together, eyes or mouth sewn shut, artificial objects strangely fused to their bodies (such as a gas mask being a permanent part of the Angel’s face or scalpel blades inserted into the bleeding gums instead of teeth), or hooks and chains pulling at their flesh. As they are well-nigh indestructible, they bear these self-inflicted tortures with pride and expect all others to bear pain and suffering equally well. They can at any time hide their horrible countenance by masquerading as a normal human. Fortunately for mankind their very foulness withers vegetation and kills insects even when using this illusion, thus giving a clue to their identity.
As their appellation suggests, Torture Angels are torturers, not only of themselves, but also of any unfortunate human they should happen across. They thrive on pain, and are most eager to inflict it. They believe that anyone they find in Sodom must be guilty of something, otherwise they wouldn’t be there, and punish them accordingly. For the Torture Angels torture and degradation are merely educational tools to teach people to behave.

Attribute Modifiers: IQ+2 [40], HT+3 [30]
Secondary Characteristic Modifiers: Will+2 [10], HP+5 [10]
Advantages: Alternate Form (Human, Cosmetic, -50%) [8], Combat Reflexes [15], Dark Vision [25], Doesn’t Eat or Drink [10], Doesn’t Sleep [20], Immunity to Metabolic Hazards [30], Mind Probe [20], Regeneration (Fast) [50], Supernatural Durability (except something of “Occasional” rarity (p. B46) or higher, varies with each Angel) [150], Teeth (Sharp) [1], Terror -3 [60], Unaging [15]
Disadvantages: Appearance (Horrific) [-24], Bully (12 or less) [-10], Callous [-5], Delusion (“Pain and suffering are valuable teaching tools”) [-15], Frightens Animals [-10], Intolerance [-10], Lifebane [-10], Sadism (12 or less) [-15]
Features: None.

Variant: Torture Angels who take on the roles of medical personnel in Sodom’s many decrepit hospitals, suffer from the Delusion (“Anyone who comes to this hospital must be sick and in need of major invasive surgery”) instead of the standard Delusion. Point value and effects are the same.

Gemini
Gemini are surgical experiments made by the Torture Angels. A Gemini consists of two female upper bodies sewn crudely together at the waist. The resulting four arms serve as legs for the abomination. A Gemini has no front or back, as it has two heads, one in each end. Both ends count as fronts. Gemini have their teeth removed and have scalpel blades inserted instead. They live in constant pain, and take out their frustration with berserk rage on anyone who happens to be nearby. Fortunately they don’t appear to be very smart, but they can be very dangerous if faced unarmed or encountered in numbers, which they frequently are.

ST 16; DX 13; IQ 6; HT 16.
Will 10; Per 10; HP 19; Speed 7; Dodge 11; Move 10
SM 0; 140 lbs.
Traits: 360-Degree Vision, Appearance (Monstrous), Arms (Foot Manipulators), Berserk (12), Chronic Pain (Severe, 8 hours, 15 or less), Combat Reflexes, Extra Arms 2 (Foot Manipulators), Extra Attack, Extra Head, Extra Legs 4, Sharp Teeth
Skills: Brawling-15
Weapons: Bite (1d+1 cut); Gemini can bite two separate targets at once, if they are at opposite ends of the creature. They cannot bite the same target twice in the same round, unless they are on top of or have Grappled (p. B370) their opponent.
Fright Check Modifier: -2

Until next time,

Max

EDIT: I have incorporated Gold & Appel Inc's suggestions for the Puppeteers, enhancing their senses and making them quicker. I changed the Torture Angel Delusion to -15, and deleted the Dread (Sacred Objects) and the feature Vulnerable to True Faith. I am still not sure about the other changes, so I'll leave it at that for now.

Fixed Gemini according to the useful advice of M. Gold & Appel Inc. Probably won't be the last time I fix 'em, though. Cheeky bastards.

[Gold & Appel Inc]

Originally Posted by Max Schreck

The horror setting is the only one that has anything that remotely looks finished (some monsters), so I thought I'd share some preliminary thoughts on campaign background and some monsters from the setting's bestiary, both for any interested parties to pillage for their own games, and also for criticisms, witticisms, booing, applauding, math corrections, rules checking, suggestions and general feedback.

This is like Hellraiser + 1. :) I'm in.

Originally Posted by Max Schreck

Puppeteer, -70 points

Attribute Modifiers: ST 1 [-90], DX+2 [40]
Secondary Characteristic Modifiers: Will+2 [10], SM -5
Advantages: Injury Tolerance (No Eyes, No Neck) [10], Permeation (Flesh) [5], Possession (Parasitic, -60%, No Memory Access, -10%) [30], Vibration Sense (Air) [10]
Disadvantages: Blindness [-50], Vermiform [-35]
Features: Vulnerable to True Faith. Taboo trait (Fixed ST).

These guys need to be able to burrow into a human's dream body and retain control of the "real" self when they wake up, for great awesome. That could be a setting feature rather than an enhancement if it's the default condition. I'd also give them high Perception so they can compensate for the limitations of Vibration Sense with touch, smell, etc, and either high Speed or high Stealth so they're not stuck preying on helpless victims.

Originally Posted by Max Schreck

Torture Angel, 380 points
Supernatural Durability (except fire) [150]

Suggestion: How about a unique vulnerability related to origin and/or personality for each of these guys instead of a blanket "kill it with fire" more suitable for a species that will sometimes produce mooks? Maybe tack on a Secret if they guard their weaknesses closely.

Originally Posted by Max Schreck

Disadvantages: Appearance (Horrific) [-24], Bully (12 or less) [-10], Callous [-5], Delusion (“Pain and suffering are valuable teaching tools”) [-10], Dread (Sacred Objects) [-10], Frightens Animals [-10], Intolerance [-10], Lifebane [-10], Sadism (12 or less) [-15]

That sounds like a [-15] Delusion to me, especially if it covers the self-infliction. I would ditch Bully and Sadism for these guys, so they do horrible things to people purely because they believe in it, with flawless self control. Their Intolerance could be defined as Ideological: They're cool with each other and anybody else who appreciates what they do (especially when it's being done to them), but anybody who isn't picking up what they're putting down is inferior in their eyes.

Originally Posted by Max Schreck

Features: Vulnerable to True Faith.

What is there to have True Faith in in this setting?

[Max Schreck]

Originally Posted by Gold & Appel Inc

This is like Hellraiser + 1. :) I'm in.

Ahh, sirrah, you caught me redhanded. I'll admit to some bias to the splatter/S&M end of the horror spectrum. I liked the ideas behind the films more than the films themselves, though.

Originally Posted by Gold & Appel Inc

These guys need to be able to burrow into a human's dream body and retain control of the "real" self when they wake up, for great awesome. That could be a setting feature rather than an enhancement if it's the default condition. I'd also give them high Perception so they can compensate for the limitations of Vibration Sense with touch, smell, etc, and either high Speed or high Stealth so they're not stuck preying on helpless victims.

Great idea about the possesion. I'll leave it as a feature, as they don't get any points for being natives of a dream world either. As for beefing them up, I guess they could use a bit more oomph, so they can possess moving and aware targets sometimes.

Originally Posted by Gold & Appel Inc

Suggestion: How about a unique vulnerability related to origin and/or personality for each of these guys instead of a blanket "kill it with fire" more suitable for a species that will sometimes produce mooks? Maybe tack on a Secret if they guard their weaknesses closely.

Actually, I had been meaning to swap the Fire limitation with something else; the Fire limitation was carried over from the vampire template I copied it from. Something unique for each individual Angel sounds like a very good idea.

Originally Posted by Gold & Appel Inc

That sounds like a [-15] Delusion to me, especially if it covers the self-infliction. I would ditch Bully and Sadism for these guys, so they do horrible things to people purely because they believe in it, with flawless self control. Their Intolerance could be defined as Ideological: They're cool with each other and anybody else who appreciates what they do (especially when it's being done to them), but anybody who isn't picking up what they're putting down is inferior in their eyes.

Yeah, well, makes sense, except I was thinking that they enjoyed their duty, hence the Sadism. So even though they torture people, because it is their "job", they also enjoy doing it. Am I making any sense? The Bully could go, though. As for the Intolerance, I had envisioned them as hating humanity for some reason that is not entirely clear to me yet, but it could be downgraded, I guess. The Delusion is probably -15, though.

Originally Posted by Gold & Appel Inc

What is there to have True Faith in in this setting?

God, I guess... :) My main idea with this setting was that it acted like a "horror reality" that could be superimposed on already existing backgrounds, backgrounds in which True Faith might play a part. All to keep it as generic as possible. So this Sodom reality could be reached from a present-day Cops campaign, for instance, or a cyberpunk/biotech world. But I'll admit that including True Faith in this setting as it stands alone is a bit problematic. That advantage makes certain assumptions about the universe and raises certain theological questions, which I don't have the answers for... yet.

Thanks for the feedback. I'll get back to work, and polish it some more.

Max

[Gold & Appel Inc]

Originally Posted by Max Schreck

Yeah, well, makes sense, except I was thinking that they enjoyed their duty, hence the Sadism. So even though they torture people, because it is their "job", they also enjoy doing it. Am I making any sense?

I'd personally leave that up to individual variation, so you could have one who was gleeful about it, one who is so very sorry that this is necessary, and philosophical debates between the two.

Originally Posted by Max Schreck

As for the Intolerance, I had envisioned them as hating humanity for some reason that is not entirely clear to me yet, but it could be downgraded, I guess.

I don't consider Intolerance (Ideological) to be a downgrade from [-10]. Especially for something this fringy; it applies to practically everybody except their own group and hardcore masochists with pretensions of enlightenment.

[vicky_molokh]

My ex used to try GMing such a setting. VERY similar. As for getting in there, it was mostly arranged by powerful individuals from the other side. Once a human was 'caught' though, she would spontaneously jump to Nightmare with sunset, and to reality with sunrise.

Also, the setting seems vaguely Kult-inspired.

Regarding True Faith: do ALL of them work, or is there a OneTrueWay? What are the effects of faith in Buddhism, Shintou, Satanism, Jediism, generic fatalism, Chinese Folk Religion, Wicca, or even the Aztec beliefs?

[combatmedic]

Looks interesting...

I'd suggest a name change, because otherwise aren't all the baddies ''Sodomites?'' Since the word has another meaning entirely, that might be distracting for players.

Are there organizations dedicated to fighting/studying/keeping out etc the creatures/influences of Sodom? Any sort of group to which intrepid PC investigators might belong?

[Max Schreck]

Originally Posted by Molokh

Also, the setting seems vaguely Kult-inspired.

Why, sir, whatever do you mean?

...

Oh, all right, I stole the whole thing. Actually, you were being far too kind saying "vaguely". There is nothing vaguely Kult-inspired by this. Everything I have thought up so far is the most shameful plagiarizing of Kult, Silent Hill, Jacob's Ladder and Hellraiser. At least I only steal from the best (with the possible exception of Hellraiser; like I stated earlier, great idea, not-so-great movies).
So let's get it out in the open: yes, I have stolen everything. The way I figure it, it's better to collate several great ideas and tweak them into something resembling your own than coming up with an original, lame idea. Besides, Kult stole just about everything for character generation from GURPS, so GURPS can steal back from Kult.

Originally Posted by Molokh

Regarding True Faith: do ALL of them work, or is there a OneTrueWay? What are the effects of faith in Buddhism, Shintou, Satanism, Jediism, generic fatalism, Chinese Folk Religion, Wicca, or even the Aztec beliefs?

(my emphasis)

Only real religions need apply. :) That goes double for the Jedis.

Seriously, this True Faith business is quite problematic, now that I think about it. I think I'll change it to "God (or whatever) helps those that help themselves". No divine intervention, no miracles, no repelling the unclean spirits by the force of your convictions. Only rusty iron pipes, meat cleavers and pump-action shotguns will exorcise these demons. Maybe. Aw, hell, I don't know. I'll get back to all of you when I know what sort of cosmology this setting takes place in. Until then consider True Faith dubious. I'll delete it from the templates.

Originally Posted by combatmedic

Looks interesting...

I'd suggest a name change, because otherwise aren't all the baddies ''Sodomites?'' Since the word has another meaning entirely, that might be distracting for players.

It only has the other sexual connotation in the U.S. (or so I believe), so it won't be much of a problem for my players. I do concede that about 95% of all GURPS players reside in the U.S., so a name change is probably in order, if I intend for other people than me to use it. Like I previously stated, I'm not all that attached to the name. I just used the first Biblical place-name for a "wicked city" that came to mind. We'll find another.

Originally Posted by combatmedic

Are there organizations dedicated to fighting/studying/keeping out etc the creatures/influences of Sodom? Any sort of group to which intrepid PC investigators might belong?

I mainly came up with the idea of this setting as an alternative to some of the popular, published settings out there, i.e. Call of Cthulhu, Delta Green, The Esoterrorists, etc. In these settings there are often organized groups (Delta Green, Ordo Veritas, Occult Crimes Division, whatever) that are fully aware of supernatural forces and try to combat them. Therefore I decided that this setting would mainly focus on personal, psychological horror, and not clandestine organizations fighting evil. I imagine that scenarios would generally be more of a nature, where evil finds the unaware heroes, rather than them receiving a manilla folder with grainy photos and a mission summary, and an order to "find the vampire/grey alien/shoggoth and kill it". However, I realize that conspiracies and clandestine agencies dedicated to fighting (or studying) the uncanny are very popular in RPG settings, so I'm not totally adverse to the idea. If anyone can come up with a suitably interesting group, I'm all ears.

Okay, and now to incorporate your suggestions in the original post.

I'll be seeing you.

[The Final Door]

Originally Posted by Max Schreck

The mundane world can be any "normal" GURPS setting, probably either modern or futuristic.

I picked up a used copy of a GURPS Cthulhupunk, based in part on H.P.Lovecraft's amazing mythos. I found the setting pretty fascinating, and am now trying to grab a copy of Cyberworld, which seems to provide the non-occult material on the setting. I think the setting (Cthulhupunk) could feed you mountains of madness... er... inspiration!

[Max Schreck]

Originally Posted by The Final Door

I picked up a used copy of a GURPS Cthulhupunk, based in part on H.P.Lovecraft's amazing mythos. I found the setting pretty fascinating, and am now trying to grab a copy of Cyberworld, which seems to provide the non-occult material on the setting. I think the setting (Cthulhupunk) could feed you mountains of madness... er... inspiration!

I have it (and Cyberworld). Let's just say that I was less than overwhelmed by the setting, but thanks for the suggestion. Anyhoo, I really want to get away from anything resembling the Cthulhu Mythos, as there is plenty of RPG material out there that caters to that market, so Cthulhupunk wouldn't be right for me in any case.

Cheers,

Max

[vicky_molokh]

The sexual connotations seem to be known here too.