You Were Expecting Maybe GURPS Line Dancing?

[The Fox]

It's All Hallow's Eve . . . Eve, so of course we're going to release something scary! If we didn't have an appropriately holiday-themed release, you wouldn't have any idea what month it is. People would be wandering the streets, shouting "what day is it?!" "I don't know!" "Oh god, I'm so confused!"

It would be chaos. But such a state is not to be, for here, as promised, is something appropriate to the current location of Earth in relation to the Sun. It's GURPS Creatures of the Night, Vol. 5. Rest easy, folks. You can now be certain that it is late October.

We also released Cardboard Heroes: Fantasy Set 6 - Monsters I which, honestly, isn't scary in the slightest. CotN 5 should be strong enough to carry the scary through that product, however. I mean, what the hell is a moon guire? Do I even want to know?

[Not another shrubbery]

Thanks, Fox! <rhetorical>Who was complaining about the release schedule?</rhetorical> *g*

Bob Dobbs?

[Pomphis]

Just in time.

[PK]

As I did in this thread about COTN4, I'd like to go into more detail about what's in this volume. As always, each monster includes adventure suggestions and seeds, so take that as a given.

Crayfen: Not a mere monster, but an entire race of amphibious humanoids, with three subspecies (the powerful warriors, the nurturing divers, and the telepathic monitors). As the tribe dies each year, they protect their egg cache obsessively, building the soon-to-be childrens' strength by "feeding" the eggs the flesh of nearby humans. That fish-man who kidnaps the beautiful woman probably has less than romantic designs on her... Includes: Statistics and detailed descriptions of all three subspecies and the egg cache; guidelines for tribal schisms; implications for the loss of the monitor's telepathic guidance and the effects of under- or over-nurturing of the eggs.

Dreadstalk: A carnivorous plant, large enough to engulf a normal man in a matter of seconds. Those who attack it from a "safe" distance quickly discover that it can attack them right back, regardless of range! Those who defeat it may find treasure in the cache of bones and dross beneath its base. Includes: Rules for dreadstalk reproduction and relocation; guidelines for miscellaneous items found in the cache (by genre); the interaction between Plant spells and the dreadstalk.

Gully Dragon: A nonmagical reptile that lives in dry riverbeds, attacking animals (or people) who come to drink from the pools of water... pools which make up its "breath weapon". They can be temporarily tamed by those who know the tricks, but keep an eye on it after doing so... Includes: Detailed rules for "taming" the gully dragon and the care needed once it's removed from its natural environment; uses for gully dragon eggs; statistics for two-headed gully dragons.

Moon Guire: Zombies which live under a black "shroud" at the bottom of a lake. They arise at night, seeking victims -- but instantly disappear back to the bottom of the lake if anyone sees them. During the full moon, however, the rules change... and grabbing a piece of the shroud itself may be the only way to survive. Includes: Detailed combat tactics for the guires; rules for the interaction between shroud and guire; changes to the guires for oceanic encounters; involving the Nerlochs (from Creatures of the Night, Volume 1).

Stealth Golem: Cutting edge technology meets magic when the golem spell is cast on a clockwork (fantasy) or robotic (modern) body. Enhanced with a dedicated powerstone and a very special ingredient or two, the stealth golem is fast enough and nimble enough to make an expert thief. Includes: Rules for rote learning allowing the golem to improve its abilities in specific situations; the costs of having a body built and the rules for doing it yourself; extra gadgets to incorporate into the golem; spells which can draw upon its powerstone; variants on the basic concept, adding new quirks or features.

Watchtower: First, a note. This was a one-page creature from the original Creatures of the Night book. It has been expanded into a nearly five-page entry here -- our largest writeup to date. If you're looking for something different as the "big bad" of your latest campaign arc, you've got it here.

The watchtower is a powerful spirit that inhabits a tall building, where it can watch for threats from all around it. Its malevolent mental scan slowly damages and warps the minds of those nearby, while its residents are quickly enslaved to do its bidding. Those who aren't afraid to look like fools can protect themselves from it, but the only way to confront this monster is to enter its "body" and journey upward. Includes: Rules for the brain damage caused by the scan; details on the watchtower's personality and what sort of threats it looks for; additional abilities that the watchtower gains as it ages; full statistics for the most common buildings one will find the spirit in; many optional rules and tweaks to adjust the watchtower's abilities and quirks; an NPC writeup for Olivia Wellington, a useful contact for PCs trying to destroy a watchtower.

Find all of this in Creatures of the Night, Volume 5, on e23.

[ravenfish]

Aww.. from the title, I was sort of hoping for GURPS:Spanish Inquisition. Still, more Creatures of the Night is almost as good- and more practicable.

[robkelk]

Originally Posted by ravenfish

Aww.. from the title, I was sort of hoping for GURPS:Spanish Inquisition.

From the title, I was expecting a product that was actually called GURPS Cabaret Chicks on Ice...

[Puck Goodfellow]

Originally Posted by robkelk

From the title, I was expecting a product that was actually called GURPS Cabaret Chicks on Ice...

Now that's just not funny. After all, baby birds have enough trouble with slipping around on a regular table.

[Jürgen Hubert]

So, when can we see them as POD products, damnit?

[Not another shrubbery]

Originally Posted by Rev. Pee Kitty

As I did in this thread about COTN4, I'd like to go into more detail about what's in this volume.

I like these teaser-like blurbs, Rev. Have you thought about going back and doing ones for the earlier entries?

[Pomphis]

Originally Posted by Jürgen Hubert

So, when can we see them as POD products, damnit?

Probably depends on sales. How many copies have you bought ?