Date: Sun, 20 Mar 1994 13:50:00 BST
From: "John R. Troy (JRT--Mad Demiurge of Vargaard)" <[j troy] at [genie.geis.com]>
Subject: JRT-ART: New Monster
Submission for Mythus Masters Magazine
From: John R. Troy
Editors Notes: I wanted to do a monster. Here it is, complete with an
introduction based on a Scroll from the Mad Demiurge. Hope you can run it
soon! :-)
_word_ = Italic Type
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Begin Article
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>From the Scrolls of the Mad Demiurge.
To: Ernst Grumbold
From: T.M.D.
Re: Creature you asked about
Hey, Ernst, it's Vern!!!!
Okay--first of all, you had *better* double-check the messenger
services you patronize next time. From the scroll, it appears to me that
you thought the practioner your hired to deliever the scroll was a
Thaumaturge...um, he was a Demonurgist. Y'know, there are ways to tell the
difference! I was rudely interrupted by this awful noise, as an Imp
appeared in my study, dropped your message scroll and then began to taunt
and threaten me, calling me names, and was about to start trashing the
place. Unfortunately for him, the jerk didn't know what he was dealing
with. Being the unique form of Demiurge I am, I know a lot of special
magickal tricks, including spellweaving, technomagic, and heka-laced music.
Basically, I sent him back to the netherplanes...never underestimate the
power of disco music when imbuded with Heka...and they say the Kells know
spellsongs--bah! Claremont's Poetic Prose, get your act together Grumbold!
Be an informed shopper.
As to the strange creature you described to me, It's no wonder you know
little about it. The creature you named a "horror hound"--and hey, that's
a pretty good name for what it can do, save that's it's more feline in
form--is a _Yax_. It's a foul beast, that comes from the same place a
Demodands. Man--you don't want to deal with such bizarre cats--pun not
intended! The description of it matches my records...and I'm surprised you
didn't suffer any damage looking at the beast...most people can't stand the
sight of such brutes.
Let me pop up some information on my Crystal Units here...apparently,
the secrets of summoning these creatures were first known to Phaeree's own
Nazi party, the Stinking Slaugh. The Yax might have a place in their dark
Pantheon, which those of AErth know little about. They could be aligned
with other pantheons, although I'm not certain...there are many factions
and indepedent races and species of the whole of pandemonium. I should
come out with a trading card set about the whole of Abyssial Evil!
The first record of them comes from the very Journals of Fyrud
Biskquirket, the "Onyx Outlaw". In fact, he was visiting Lorez Le Bocage
at the time! Apparently one of his many enemies was a renegade Slaugh
known as "The Oricalcium Tattoo", because of the Arcane Sigils etched into
his flesh composed of that metal. Fryud knew that he was trying to become
a god via skill with Devilshine and the formation of cults in his name.
Anyway, this little meanie apparently summoned a Yax to battle him, then
disappeared. Luckilly, Fyrud (the "Zorro of AErth" as I call him) had his
trusty Epee handy, and was able to destroy the monstrocity. Score one for
Swashbucklers everywhere! Since then, I've heard a few reports of them,
appearing throughout Western AEropa. I'm speculating here, but perhaps the
'Tattoo left his conjuration castings around for others to find, or perhaps
other Slaugh have left such information for said casters.
Based on residual heka in the dust you've sent me here, I'd say a
powerful Witchcraefter was responsible for this creature attacking the
serfs under Sieur deVal. It was a cool thing for them that there was a
local Friar of Apollo to deal with the creature, otherwise it would have
done a lot more damage. Nixon's Lies!--I think you guys better send for a
professional witchfinder and soon before an even greater tradgedy strikes.
Gotta run for now...I've got some stuff to read. Enclosed in this
scroll is a sheet with statstics and data about the beast. Hope it can be
of use to both your messages to Earth as well as the citizens of the area.
Good luck in defeating the evil. Peace! Wanga Wanga!
YAX
Identifier: Beast, Demondand
Habitat: Pandemonium, Demondand Spheres
Size: 2 x Human Size (4'-6'Long, 4' at Shoulder, #300 lbs)
Number Appearing: 1 if Summoned/Conjured, D6 in Netherrealms
Modes and Rates of Movement:
Walk: 100 yds/BT
Trot: 150 yds/BT
Run: 200 yds/BT
Charge: 400 yds/BT (1 BT only)
Climb: 100 yds/BT
Swim: (No Swim--walk on water/air)
Initiative Modifiers:
Outstanding K/S areas:
Hunting/Tracking 60 STEEP
Perception, Physical 50 STEEP
Joss Factors: 2
Dodging/Avoidance: 13 and 20/44/10
Attractiveness: -5 (Nightmarish)
Inner Beauty/Ugliness: N/A
Invulnerabilities: Fire/Heat (up to Supernatural)
Cold (up to Supernatural)
Disease (up to Supernatural)
Poison (up to Supernatural)
Negative Heka effects (all DIRECT forms)
Chemicals (up to Supernatural)
Non-Enchanted Weapons
Susceptibilities: Positive Heka (x2)
Sunlight (d6/CT Exposure)
Insinuation: Iron or Silver (x2)
Contact: Silver (x1)
Average Armor Protection: 12
Quirks:
Attacks BAC Damage Type Base Bonus
Claws x 2 55 C 3D3 16 (19)*
Bite 50 P 2D6 16 (18)*
Powers:
Name: Stench Cloud
Area of Effect: 1 Rod Radius
Delivered by: Always in Effect
Ranged: Centered on Yax
Time: Instantanious
Duration: Always in Effect
Frequency: Always in Effect
A Vile Stench constantly surrounds the Yax. Note, that, all those of
Evil Ethos, nature, and the like (compatible with the Yax), such as the one
who conjured it and his allies, for example, are immune to the stench.
Otherwise, this has the effect similar to the Grade III Gloomy Darkness
Casting _Stench Cloud_.
Name: Panic Howl
Area of Effect: 1 Furlong Radius
Delivered by: Shout
Range: Centered on Subject
Time: 1 CT
Duration: 2D3 ATs.
Frequency: 1/Day
This power forces the persona to make a SM roll at Difficult or flee
the area as fast as one can.
Name: Chill Bolts
Area of Effect: 1 Target
Delivered by: Gaze
Range: 1 Chain
Time: 1 CT
Duration: Instantaneous
Frequency: 6/day
This power does 3D6 Spirtiual Damage and 3D3 Cold (Exposure) Damage to
a persona.
Name: Water/Air Walking
Area of Effect: Yax
Delivered by: Always on
Range: Self
Time: Always on
Duration: Always on
Frequency: Always on
This power enables the creature to walk just above any liquid surface,
thus allowing the Yax to walk over pools, oceans, and even dangerous
chemicals without taking damage or slowing down. Furthermore, the beast
can also walk over open pits, canyons, alleys from rooftops, and the like,
without falling. Note that the beast can't climb air, but must remain at a
level plane.
Armor Scheme:
Piercing Cutting Blunt Fire Chem Stun Electric
Ultra 20 20 24 * * 24 12
Super 15 15 18 * * 18 9
Vital 10 10 12 * * 12 6
Non 5 5 6 * * 6 3
Averaged 12 12 15 * * 15 7
Attributes:
M: 60 (Cunning)
MM: 30
MMCap: 10
MMPow: 10
MMSpd: 10
MR: 30
MRCap: 10
MRPow: 10
MRSpd: 10
P: 300
PM: 150
PMCap: 78
PMPow: 28
PMSpd: 44*
PN: 150
PNCap: 78
PNPow: 28
PNSpd: 44*
S: 100 EL: 80
SM: 50
SMCap: 30
SMPow: 15
SMSpd: 5
SP: 50
SPCap: 30
SPPow: 15
SPSpd: 5
Commentary/Descriptions:
Yax stand 6' tall at the shoulder. They look almost like skeletal
panthers, with a wolf-like skull. The substance covering their bones looks
like gaunt flesh that has been flayed many times, colored bright almost
florescent green, coated with a plegm-like substance. The Skull-like head
looks like a great wolf's, with sharper fangs. Instead of eyeballs, the
Yax have glowing points of violet light in the center of the "skull's"
eyesockets. The Yax exude a powerful odor which smells similar to bile,
affecting all within its area of effect.
The Yax are native to those vile spheres of Pandemonium where Demodands
dwell. They hunt other beasts and brutes there. Sometimes, they are
captured and enslaved into the service of powerful demodands, who use them
as guardians and war beasts, as well as a form of "familiar". The Slaugh
are known to conjure these creatures often and tend to use these beasts in
certain hunts and war schemes. In fact, it is thought that the Yeth and
Yax are related in some manner, Yax perhaps being a form of undead Yeth
akin to ghouls. Vile practioners of the Material plane who know of their
existance can attempt to Conjure them, and certain sects of Sorcerors and
Witchcraefters know castings that summon them--although the knowledge is
rare.
Yax feed on the energy created by the death of their prey, as well as
the emotion of fear. Thus, they like to torment their prey before slaying
them. Yax are creatures of the darkness and like shadows opposed to light.
They are irritated by even torchlight. Full Sunlight or Spells to that
equivalent alter the substance of their "flesh", turning them into a ash-
like substance. So too, positive Heka. Because of this allergy, like many
forms of undead, they only come out a night. They can't be summoned into
daylight conditions at all...all attempts to do so will fail.
SENSORY ABILITIES: FN,HH,SE-I-U,TD,XA-H
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