It is pitch black. You are likely to be eaten by a grue.
Further investigation will reveal more about their nature:
> what is a grue?
Further investigation will reveal more about their nature:
> what is a grue?
The grue is a sinister, lurking presence in the dark places of
the earth. Its favorite diet is adventurers, but its insatiable appetite is
tempered by its fear of light. No grue has ever been seen by the light of day,
and few have survived its fearsome jaws to tell the tale.
A
grue is a fearsome creature known for its rapacious lust for flesh and its custom
of haunting the unlit corridors of the Great Underground Empire. Grues possess
a savage fear of light and flee the presence of any luminance with the
exception of that issued by the eyes of their own kind. Despite this, grues have
travelled above ground and now and again come to rest in basements and
shuttered attics in spite of their bulk. Village elders often include mention
of grues lurked in bottomless pits so as to strike terror within the hearts of
unruly children to keep them near the light of the hearth and away from the
edges of wells.
Grues
are partially social amongst their own kind and have enough intelligence to grasp
language, although their own seems largely inarticulate. "Sour as a
grue" is a common expression among those familiar with these fiends.
The
features of grues are largely unknown except by the wounds of their victims or
what is glimpsed of one speedily escaping the sudden appearance of light. They
are known to be large enough to swallow a human whole and are clearly in
possession of wickedly whetted claws and prodigious, though exquisitely
pointed, fangs. By coming into close quarters with these monsters, a few former
adventurers (who displayed enough sensibility to lay aside that hazardous
business early on) reported the grazing of bristly hairs upon their flesh to
accompany the dreadful sound of a grue aching with hunger. When in discernment
of a potential meal, a grue has a nearly irresistible tendency to slaver and
gurgle and the abominable babble of a grue pack gives voice to the darkness and
arouses in the wary adventurer a determined appreciation of their supply of effulgence.
The putrid stench of a grue’s warm and sodden exhalations swells just past the
edge of any glow where it passes away into gloom.
Beyond
this, little is known for certain. Grue coloration is likely black, blood red,
bruised plumb, or perhaps all of these. Some maintain that the mouth is like
that of an anglerfish and the head topped with pointed ears. Others assert that
a grue is shaped like a massive dog with limbs splayed outward and the joints thereof
hinging back inwards towards the body and that the middle knuckle of each claw has
an eye upon it. The body is believe to be entirely hirsute, but whether the
head is bald or shaggy is matter of debate.
Grues
fear nothing other than the light, which they take great pains to escape.
Though they will eat any human, for some reason they prefer the taste of the
professional adventurer and may leave others imprisoned or wandering in the
dark if the grue’s dim wit suggests a more heroic type may come in rescue.
Despite how greatly feared these creatures are and how well suited to their chosen
environs, grues do possess some unlikely weaknesses. A small, but statistically
significant number of their kind are lactose intolerant (not that many have
been clever enough to exploit this intestinal imperfection). In addition, human
dandruff is an allergen to an unknown percentage of the grue population.
Grue (Zork) ◊ Power Level — 5?
It is
pitch black. You are likely to be eaten by a grue.
1
-2
9*
9*
*+8 due to huge
size
0
0
-2
-4
Defense
*-4 due to huge
size
**In the presence
of light
Offense
Initiative +1
Gaping Maw +1 (Affliction X)
*+4 due to huge
size
**-8 due to huge
size
˙˙In the presence
of light
ˆWith smoldering
sight
Equipment
—
◊Grasping Claws: Damage 2 +dangerous 4, +innate, +linked, +Strength-based with linked Weaken 9; Enhanced Traits 3
+innate — 20 points
Complications
Grues are
motivated by greed for the flesh of
adventurers
Character Point Totals Abilities -10 + Powers (63 + X2) +
Advantages 2 + Skills 9 + Defenses 5 = Total (69 + X2)
Dim Disappearance
◊Descriptors – darkness, preternatural
Dim Disappearance (innate Detect Light and accurate, innate, triggered Teleport
via darkness)
◊Modifiers – innate: 1 flat point (Senses); accurate: +1/rank, innate: 1
flat point, medium: -1/rank, triggered: 1 flat point
◊Action – none
◊Range – personal
◊Duration – permanent
◊Results – a grue has a +4 bonus to active defenses in areas of darkness
or dim light
Description
>turn on lamp
A grue can sense light by touch. The instant light falls upon it, it
(along with up to 50 lbs. of additional mass) teleports to the nearest area of
darkness sizable enough to contain it. The range of this effect is 120 feet. If
no suitable area of darkness exists within that range, the effect does not
trigger.
After using this effect, the grue immediately takes a move action to set the effect to trigger again in accordance with its fear of light.
After using this effect, the grue immediately takes a move action to set the effect to trigger again in accordance with its fear of light.
Note: This power represents two distinct effects packaged together for
thematic reasons; they are not linked. If the cost of these separate effects
becomes important (due to a power stunt or Weaken effect, for example) they are
respectively a 2 point permanent effect (which cannot be used to generate a
power stunt) and 6 point effect.
Gaping Maw
◊Descriptors – preternatural, size
Gaping Maw (innate Affliction X with extra degree)
◊Modifiers – extra degree: +1/rank, innate: 1 flat point
◊Action – standard
◊Range – close
◊Duration – instant
◊Results – target’s Fortitude impaired (one degree), target’s Fortitude
disabled (two degrees), target dying (three degrees) or devoured (four or more
degrees)
◊Resist – Fortitude
Description
Oh, no! A lurking grue slithered
into the room and devoured you!
By making a close attack, a grue can try to eat a smaller creature
(height 15 feet or less and 12 tons of flesh or less). If the grue’s attack
hits, the target attempts a Fortitude resistance check. If this check fails,
the target’s Fortitude is impaired (-2 circumstance penalty on checks) or
disabled (-5 circumstance penalty on checks) with two degrees of failure. If
this check fails by three degrees, the target begins dying instead. Failure by
four or more degrees means the target has been swallowed whole (though it may
not be immediately dead).
Note: This power can be devastating. If “X” is made equal to the grue’s
power level of 5, adventurers are only likely to be eaten by a grue with
multiple uses. Since grues are easily evaded with a light source and primarily
exist to force adventurers to be thoughtful in this regard it is recommended to
set X above the grue’s power level. Matching the series power level seems fair,
however to make a grue properly deadly, X could be equal to the series power
level +20 (so that adventurers are devoured if they fail a DC 10 Fortitude
resistance check). This method is recommended.
Grasping Claws
◊Descriptors – preternatural, weapon
Grasping Claws (Strength-based Damage 6 with linked Weaken 9 and
Enhanced Traits 3)
◊Modifiers – dangerous 4: 4 flat points, innate: 1 flat point, linked:
+0/rank, Strength-based: 0 points (Damage and Weaken); innate: 1 flat point (Enhanced
Advantages)
◊Action – standard (Damage and Weaken); free (Enhanced Advantages)
◊Range – close
◊Duration – instant (Damage and Weaken); sustained (Enhanced Advantages)
◊Results – dangerous Damage Rank 2 plus Strength and free grab action;
not vulnerable while grabbing; targets suffer a -5 penalty to escape; target
subjected to Weaken Fortitude effect
◊Resist – Toughness (Damage) and Fortitude (Weaken)
Description
Drink a glass of milk; 2.6% of
grues are lactose intolerant so you can be safe in the knowledge that the grue
might get diarrhea when it finally gets round to eating you, which is very
soon.
The cruel claws of a grue endeavor to shred flesh and engorge the
dripping remnants thereof into its gaping maw. When a grue attacks with its
claws, it must succeed with a Close Attack: Unarmed check. If this attack hits,
the target must resist the damage effect with a Toughness check (DC 26). The
target must also make a Fortitude check (DC 19) and loses one point from their
Fortitude defense for each point by which this check fails (see Weaken for more information).
A grue’s claws can score a critical hit on a natural 16, 17, 18, or 19 (if
the attack hits).
In addition, the grue immediately makes a grab check against a hit target
as a free action (see Grab). If the grue succeeds in grabbing the target, it can maintain the grab with
one claw free to perform actions. The grue is also not vulnerable while
grabbing. Targets suffer a –5 circumstance penalty on checks to escape the
grue’s hold.
Notes:
•This power includes the benefits of the Fast Grab, Improved Grab and Improved Hold advantages.
•This power includes the benefits of the Fast Grab, Improved Grab and Improved Hold advantages.
•This power represents three distinct effects packaged together for
thematic reasons; two of the effects are linked, while the Enhanced Advantages
are not. If the cost of these separate effects becomes important (due to a
power stunt or Weaken effect, for example) they are respectively a 16 point effect
and a 4 point effect.
•Grasping Claws exists primarily to enable the grue’s Gaping Maw power,
although it too could slay the careless adventurer. It should only be used if
the gamemaster has decided to “play fair” with Gaping Maw. Gamemasters who find
themselves with the perversity of concern with fair play are advised to give up
the hobby, perhaps in favor of adult coloring books…
Monstrous Mien
◊Descriptors – preternatural, size
Monstrous Mien (innate permanent Growth 8)
◊Modifiers – innate: 1 flat point, permanent: +0/rank (Growth)
◊Action – none
◊Range – personal
◊Duration – permanent
◊Results – -4 Dodge and Parry; +4 Intimidation; mass rank 10; +8 Stamina
and Strength; size rank 0; -8 Stealth
Description
>What’s a grue?
The grue is a sinister, lurking presence in the dark places of the earth. Its favorite diet is adventurers…
The grue is a sinister, lurking presence in the dark places of the earth. Its favorite diet is adventurers…
As a huge creature, grues posses the following bonuses and penalties (all
taken into account in its traits above):
• +8 Strength
• +8 Stamina
• +4 Intimidation
• -8 Stealth
• -4 Dodge
• -4 Parry
• +8 mass rank (mass 10)
•+2 size rank (size 0)
Pitch Black
◊Descriptors – preternatural, visual
Pitch Black (innate limited Concealment to all visual senses)
◊Modifiers – innate: 1 flat point, limited: -1/rank
◊Action – none
◊Range – personal
◊Duration – permanent
◊Results – A grue has total concealment to all visual senses while in areas
of darkness or shadow
Description
>Light lamp.
The battery has run out.
A grue gains total concealment from all visual senses while in areas of darkness
or shadow, although it is still detectable to other senses (See Concealment for
full effects).
Smoldering Sight
◊Descriptors – preternatural, visual
Smoldering Sight (limited Enhanced Trait 9; Senses 3 Extended vision
and Darkvision)
◊Modifiers – limited: -1/rank (Enhanced Trait); innate: 1 flat point (Senses)
◊Action – free (Enhanced Trait) or none (Senses)
◊Range – personal
◊Duration – sustained (Enhanced Trait) or permanent (Senses)
◊Results – The gaze of a grue is particularly demoralizing; a grue has a
–1 to visual Perception checks per 100 feet; a grue can see in complete darkness
as if it were normal daylight
Description
You see red eyes in the darkness.
A grue has only has a –1 penalty to visual Perception checks for every
100 feet (instead of for every 10 feet) and darkness provides no concealment to
a grue’s vision.
In addition, a grue gains a +9 bonus to Intimidation for the purposes of
demoralizing opponents (see Intimidation)
Note: This power represents two distinct effects packaged together for
thematic reasons; they are not linked. If the cost of these separate effects
becomes important (due to a power stunt or Weaken effect, for example) they are
respectively a 3 sustained effect and a 4 point permanent effect.
That Hated Light
◊Descriptors – preternatural
That Hated Light (innate limited Enhanced Traits 4)
◊Modifiers – innate: 1 flat point, limited: -1/rank, reaction: +1/rank
◊Action – free
◊Range – personal
◊Duration – sustained
◊Results – a grue gains a +4 bonus to Agility whenever it perceives a
light source
Description
The brass lantern is on now.
A grue is moved to incredible haste in the presence of light. As a
reaction to perceiving light (either visually or by touch from its ability to
Detect Light) the grue can activate this ability to gain a +4 enhancement to
Agility. This power can only be sustained as long as the grue continues to
perceive a light source.
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