MONGRELMEN

Monsterfolk, Sapient

Omnivore

Found in: Caves, Deep Forest, Ruins
Common Name: MONGRELMEN
Academic Name: Unknown

MONGRELMEN resemble small men, covered in parti-colored fur, with long bare fingers and a lemur-like face.  Quick moving, they covet shiny objects.  For unknown reasons, they especially value crystals and gems.  They like to nest in groups with a communal stash of treasures.  Their lairs may be high up in places hard for most humans to reach.  They sleep curled up in balls.  Hard to hit but easy to kill.  Because they are physically impuissant and meek by nature, they are often found bullied into the service of more powerful monsters.  Unless under the leadership of more belligerent creatures, they prefer parleying to fighting, though they possess an irrepressible urge to purloin goods.  Potential diplomats would be well-advised to check their pockets after any dealings.  They may be very eager to acquire glamorous gems, and will readily barter for them.  When they do have to fight, they always prefer to do so from ambush.  Their culture has no concept of personal honor, and they will attempt to flee if quickly outmatched.

There are no Mongrelman heroes or magicians, because they consider having low POW to be wise and good.  Sometimes, though, a shamanic leader will arise.  They will probably be armored, unlike their kin, and may have a collection of items which can create magical effects, but will evince little interest in commanding their kin or consolidating power beyond the collection of valuable objects.  Their language consists entirely of borrowed sounds from animals and other monsters - bird whistles, rodent chatter, canine barks, etc.

They can mimic sounds, and modulate their voices to incredibly loud volumes (125 decibels or more).  Common tricks include reproducing the sounds of more dangerous monsters, or imitating distressed allies in order to lure foes into ambushes.  Can “see” in darkness using echolocation. 

They are 4 -5 feet tall and weigh ~80 pounds.

HP: 6

AC: 14

Attack: +2 shortswords/daggers/missile weapons; +1 everything else

Damage: 1d6

4 POW

Special:

+6 Stealth

+6 Notice

+6 Pickpocket

+4 Climb

Mongrelmen can camouflage themselves by rubbing dirt into their fur, raising their Stealth bonus to +11 in a suitable environment if they have time to prepare themselves and make an effort to hold still.

Sensitive hearing:  Double damage from sonic sources.  May be disoriented by loud noises (eg war-shouts, clanging shields, etc)

Not affected by loss of eyesight.

Most carry shortswords; some also carry short javelins or curved wooden throwing-sticks (all do 1d6 damage - javelins/throwing sticks have 15 ft range)


No. Appearing:
Pack 1d4
Band 2d4+2
Family Group 3d6 + further 50% young and invalid

KOS - PILGRIM'S PASSING - MAP

click here to get a version for printing size

stolen from RuneQuest: Apple Lane, names replaced with MS Paint

KOS - RYNT the ELDER (more shit they'll never know)

RYNT the VILLAGE ELDER is the oldest man in town, as according to custom.  His role is to act as a spokesperson, therapist, judge and living accumulation of history and knowledge.  His voice in matters of civic concern is equal to that of DRONLAN THREE-SWORDS.

RYNT lives in the OLD MANOR.

RYNT is a potent sorcerer, who particularly has a love for magical items of historical value.  He believes that these items are a powerful connection to the past, and hopes to one day find an item that will allow him to add a lasting legacy to his lineage.  He is so bent in this intent that he will collect nearly anything that may lead to further knowledge.  He considers even such mundane things as elven-folk arrowheads and star-pebbles to be of value.  He is also willing to buy all items of interest to a historical collector - books, antique rugs, ceremonial vestments, statues, artwork, etc.  He pays based on the item’s artistic quality, utility, historical value, rarity and on its current physical condition.  His prices are fair - neither mean nor thriftless.

RYNT's STATISTICS & the ENSLAVED FIRE-SPIRIT
RYNT has a MAG score of 17  and 6 POW points.  He also has enslaved a fire spirit, which dwells in the various fireplaces of the OLD MANOR and would wreak enormous havoc were it ever to escape.  He can draw on this Spirit’s POW to cast spells, which is 15.  Besides warming the house for RYNT’s comfort, the Spirit also guards his home while he is otherwise engaged.  If RYNT orders it to, the Spirit will engage in Mind Battles with enemies. For RYNT to order the Spirit to attack physically would only be warranted by an absolute emergency, because the touch of the Fire-Sprite to anything flammable would quickly cause it to ignite flames that could quickly grow out control.  Matters would  be further complicated by the fact that the OLD MANOR is stuffed with all imaginable dusty tomes, antique furniture, moldering tapestries, taxidermied animals, tottering stacks of parchment, etc.  If RYNT were to die without passing on the secret of the Fire-Sprite's control, the Fire-Sprite would immediately be set free and would be in a state of both exhultation at its liberty, and furious anger at Rynt and all other flammable people and objects nearby.  It would rampage for some time before relocating to a different plane of existence.  Other conditions that would free the Fire-Sprite includes the destruction of the Old Manor, and a successful Mind Battle with Rynt with the intent to free the Fire-Sprite.  The Fire-Sprite cannot be harmed by normal weapons, which pass right through it.  It creates incredible heat, dealing 4d4+3 fire damage to anyone it touches, and the victim must pass a Skill Save to quickly beat himself out before his clothing and accoutrement burst aflame, dealing a further 1d6 fire damage every round and also destroying flammable items such as scrolls, ropes, backpacks, rations, potions, etc at a rate of 1d3 per round, and also causing anything the burning person touches to also have a chance to catch flame.  The Sprite can only be effected by magic, Mind-Battling, or by extinguishing it using traditional techniques.  It would take a full tub of water dousing the Fire-Sprite to kill it, or it could be isolated by removing potential fuel sources until it dwindled and retreated to another dimension.

RYNT's KNOWLEDGE and SERVICES
RYNT knows all 1st, 2nd and 3rd level Spells and will teach them, but is very cautious about who he trains.  His charges for this knowledge are high.
RYNT also has a 70% chance of being able to identify a magical item, as well as its origin, history and any special curses or abilities.  He charges 100 Lunars (GP in D&D) for this service, if it is successful.  He will also make an offer for the item at this point if he is interested.
He can also translate most scripts (95% chance for his own language or one very close, 70% chance for more esoteric script, 30% chance for alien or bizarre, adjusted as the DM sees fit).  He charges a price of 1d30 Wheels for this service.  He also could be convinced to sell maps of various locales, description of its inhabitants, exploration diaries, etc.  These will vary in value and completeness, but an average map of an area the size of Pilgrim's Passing and it's surroundings will cost 10 Wheels (PP in D&D).

RELIGION
Devotee of Kos and Isuss.  Makes abeyance to Io.  The Church of Io would strongly like to see him converted fully to the Cult.

RELATIONSHIP to OTHERS and FURTHER INFORMATION
RYNT has an enormous, long, white beard and is thin.  He has a beautiful daughter named IAERILLA.  He has several other sons and daughters, many with children (and one with grandchildren) of their own.  He has a servant named PINFEUR who is a creature with the body of a small dog but the arms and mind of a man.  PINFEUR is very loyal and a crack shot with a crossbow.  Everyone in town holds RYNT him in reverence, awe, and perhaps a little fear.  Nobody knows how old he is, because everyone who did is dead.  He may be the oldest human alive.

SECRETS

RYNT hopes to live forever through use of his collections and magical artifacts.  He is terrified of death.

WHAT THE PLAYERS NEED TO KNOW

RYNT is the VILLAGE ELDER, which means he's basically in charge.  He has a long white beard and lives in the OLD MANOR, which is full of junk and treasure.  He has a dog-man manservant named PINFEATHER.

KOS - DRONLAN THREE-SWORDS ("shit the players will probably never hear about unless they decide to ask about it")

DRONLAN THREE-SWORDS is the town SHERIFF, a title which is formally transferred through bloodline; or, in failure of that, by appointment on the part of the former Sherriff; or in failure of that, by appointment to the person deemed most fitting and able to fulfill the role of Sherriff at the time of the Sherriff’s demise.  In practice of official transference, the latest Sherriff, Dronlan Three-Swords, was deemed most fitting to be appointed as he was the cause of the former Sherriff’s demise; namely, through use of the magical Three Swords that he carries with him at all times.  These Swords seem to be able to give him extraordinary powers are long as he has all Three with him at all times, but none of the townsfolk know exactly what the full extent of these powers are (though there is speculation based on first-hand accounts)

He lives in the ANCIENT HOUSE in PILGRIM'S PASSING.




The Three Swords
All three swords register as magical on the Second Plane.  Unless where noted below, they function in all respects as regular arming swords (broadsword in RQ; longsword in D&D)
Sword 1. This Sword is made of shimmering cobaltite, with a titanium cross-guard.  An enormous pearl is inserted in the pommel. The blade reads: “So long as this Sword is carried, no other sword he carries can be broken; his shield cannot be splintered, nor any thread of his clothing ripped, nor the least hair on his head be split,” and this inscription is true.  In addition, the man who carries this Sword gains a +2 bonus to Save against Spells.
Sword 2. This Sword is made of brilliant calcinite, with a gold cross guard inset with a savagely gleaming ruby and ivory-inlaid pommel.  This Sword carries a hex which will cause it to break other swords it comes in contact with which are deemed of inferior value.  The hex will cause a Battle of Wills between Sword 2 (POW 16) and the other sword (which has an effective POW of 1 for a normal sword, or half the wielder’s POW, or the POW score of the sword if it has one).  If the Battle of Wills falls in favor of Sword 2, it shatters the other sword.  If it falls against Sword 2, Sword 2 will shatter.  In addition, this Sword despises armor and has +2 to Hit against anyone wearing armor.
Sword 3. This Sword is made of black lead entirely.  An eye is sculpted into the cross guard.  It grows so hot in battle that the blade begins to glow red and give off sparks.  It deals +1 fire damage in the first round of combat, +2 in the next, and +3 fire damage in the third round and all rounds thereafter.  When this Sword is carried along with both the other two, the carrier will never be surprised by enemies, will always escape those who pursue him, and will never age.
The history of these three Swords is long and bloody.

Dronlan is a tall man with bright, flaming orange hair that seems to flicker out of his head like a bonfire.  His demeanor is vague and haughty, as though he has an uncommonly amusing thought in his head and little interest in conversation.
Formally, the Sherriff’s duties include only the protection of the peace within the village itself, to whatever means he sees fit.  Normally, his superior would be the nearest Marshall of the Red Knights, who would be in charge of protecting the village from exterior threats.  However, no-one now living remembers the last time there was a Marshall of the Red Knights, so the Sherriff’s duties are broad and vague.
During the thirty-five years since he killed the last Sherriff (Borten Oaktree), Dronlan Three-Swords has defended the village of Pilgrim’s Passing successfully against all attempts at invasion by monsters, monster-folk and marauders, killed at least a dozen would-be holders of the title in duels, and kept the town in a state of peace sufficient to keep itself sustained.  Thus, the people of Pilgrim’s Passing accept him as Sherriff, especially as there is no other alternative.  The people in town are somewhat afraid of Dronlan, due both to his aloof (even icy) demeanor and his seemingly incomparable martial prowess.  He does not mingle with the other townspeople.  He draws upon JARSTAN IRON-AXE and NAVAROK ONE-HAND when he is unable to keep the peace by himself.  He relies on URIEL THE HIEROPHANT in matters of the super-natural.  In a crisis, he might also turn to PIKU for assistance.
Dronlan does not consider policing of the town on Dark Days his duty; he simply advises all citizens to stay in their homes, lock their doors, and look to their own protection.  Such things are beyond his ability to combat.

TRAINING
Dronlan has +5 attack training with "Long Swords", and also has training that allows him to add +5 to his Defense (AC in D&D) when using "Long Swords". He also knows a goodly number of battle spells.  However, he is unwilling to teach anyone.  The only exception might be if he thought he had found a suitable apprentice.

SECRETS
DRONLAN is proud.  He believes that his swords grant him near-invincibility, but he is still fearful that one day, somebody will find a way to beat him.  He knows that when you're the best around, eventually someone better will come to take your place.  He collects all the swords of those he defeats in combat and has them hung in his living room.
Dronlan does not care about his job; he considers it an easy way of life and is inclined to take whatever path will lead to conflict being resolved quickly.
There is much speculation about Dronlan's religious leanings.  He never attends ceremonies at the Temple of Io.  In fact, Dronlan is agnostic.  He sees the Gods as having done little for mankind, and in return, he cares little for the Gods.  This attitude, if widely known, would cause the public to label him as borderline-apostolic.
He learned his famous sword skills amongst the WOLF-HEADS, and in fact was a student alongside the WOLF-HEAD of AR-ARAK.  This is why he does not offer a bounty on that creature.  Were this publicly known, Dronlan could be cast as a monster and possibly a traitor to humankind.  Wolf-Heads are considered among the most diabolical and heinously evil of all Monster-Folk.



WHAT THE PLAYERS NEED TO KNOW:
SHERRIFF DRONLAN THREE-SWORDS  has three magic swords and crazy orange hair.  He lives in the ANCIENT HOUSE.  He’s in charge of keeping peace in the town.  He seems smug

[/what i would expect from a VERY detailed campaign note from a player]