Horror Bestiary.pdf

Horror Bestiary

Paul “Wiggy” Wade-Williams

toolkit

Bestiary

toolkit

By:

Paul “Wiggy” Wade-Williams

Editing: Simon Lucas, Dave Blewer, Piotr Korys

Layout: Sarah Robinson

Art: Leanne Buckley, Chris Malidore,

Daniel Rudnicki, Cheyenne Wright

Dedication: Jordan Blewer, a chip off the old block

Savage Worlds by Shane Lacy Hensley

Requires the Savage Worlds rules, available at

www.peginc.com

Savage Worlds, Smiling Jack, Great White Games, and all associated logos herein are

Horror

introduction

Whether you’ve created your own Savage Setting, converted one, or using a published GWG product, the

one thing every horror setting needs is scary monsters.

This product is designed to be a one-stop shop for all your horror monster needs. The majority of the

monsters are new, but a small few have been copied from existing products, simply because they are generic

horror creatures.

Sidebars show how you can make stock creatures different simply by tweaking their Abilities. Some horror

games might have a wide range of vampires, for instance, with different powers depending on their country of

origin. We’ve included a range of vampiric powers, weaknesses, and methods of destruction so you can make

unique vampires by mixing and matching.

Of course, if you want to alter the vampires’ traits or other Special Abilities, you’re free to do so. Remember, this

is a Toolkit to help you populate your world, not an oficial, never-to-be-changed A-Z of every beast imaginable.

One thing you’ll notice while reading through is that not every monster has a Fear rating, despite this

being a horror supplement. How come? Well, we’ll be looking at creating atmosphere in the Horror GM’s Toolkit ,

but for now just note that not everything scary in a horror game has to be related to monsters and that not all

monsters appear scary.

Does the deranged serial killer look scary when he’s working his day job and helping old ladies with their

groceries at the local Shop-Til-You-Drop? No, of course not. Does the suave, sophisticated man in his tuxedo

look scary? On the contrary, he has an alluring look and radiates charisma. He might get scary if he tries to rip

your throat out, of course.

This book contains more than a sample of monsters to be slaughtered and robbed—it also contains stock

Extras and Wild Cards. From mad cultists to occult investigators, Inquisitors to soon-to-be-dead high school

students, there’s a range of common horror stereotypes ready at your ingertips. Add a Hindrance or two, assign

a personality, and you can turn even the simplest Extra entry into a fully developed character ready to aid or

hinder the heroes.

The number of monsters available to your world is limited only by your imagination. We’ve provided a

standard set you can use as presented or as templates for making your own, unique beasties. It’s up to you to

make your setting scary.

Hello, boys and girls.

What you have in your sweaty hands is the third in a new series of Toolkits designed

primarily for the GM. each book covers one important aspect of a genre. In case you

missed it on the cover, this book details horror monsters and characters.

What’s a toolkit do? Let me tell you what it doesn’t do—it doesn’t give you another rulebook.

Sure, it’s got rules in, but they’re optional with a capital “o.” the aim of these toolkits is to

make your life easier as a gm by giving you tools—remember that word, kiddies—to making your

own setting as unique and exciting as anything my slaves produce.

They explore every aspect of a setting, and I mean every aspect. from designing a cool

world to populating it with interesting cultures, from designing new weapons to cool artifacts,

like grimoires and magic items.

A lot of what’s in these toolkits is advice rather than gospel. You get to pick and choose the

bits you want for your setting and discard the rest.

And if you don’t like what Jack has to say, change it!

We’ve giving you the tools to make kick-ass settings—if your game falls lat after reading

this, then it’s your own fault for not following my advice.

Now, get reading and go make Jack proud!

taBle of contents

IntroductIon

reVeAler

TypicAlocculTreseArcher 44

VeTerAnocculTreseArcher 44

polterGeIst

Monsters

seDucer

AppeArAnce

spineDDemon

FeAr

deVIlkIn

possessedanIMals

TheresT

dhaMpIr

BurroDiABlo

newMonstrousabIlIty 6

thedeMon

dIsMeMberedcorpse

rabIdanIMals

drauGr

rABiDBeAr

dreadlIche

ratswarM

treasure

dreaMeVIl

reVenant

GrIMoIreofhorrors

dreaMreaVer

ruGfIend

aMa-no-Jaku

drownlInG

saVaGeJackInthebox 48

screaMInGskull

aswanG

eMotIonspIrIt28

banshee

eVIlclown

barrowdweller

fearstalker

seaweedfIend

peTTyBArrowDweller

fetchdoG

chAinsAw-wielDingseriAlkiller 49

FingerBlADeseriAlkiller 49

shadow

royAlBArrowDweller

flashback

bat,GIant

flyInGhead

blackcoachMan’shorses 9

blackcoach

foulscarecrow

Ghoul

shadowpuppet

GladIator

skeletalanIMals

blackJudGe

GoleMs

skeleTAlTyrAnnosAurusrex 50

skeletonwarrIor

blackwood

BeAsTgolem

blob

BlooDgolem

bloodMIst

Bonegolem

sMoGcloud

chIldsnatcher

corpsewAllgolem

strIpper

chonchon

mArioneTTegolem

stuffedanIMalfIend

chosenslayer

GraVebane

sTuFFeDBeArFienD

TypicAlchosenslAyer

hate

sTuFFeDBirDoFprey

VeTerAnchosenslAyer

hauntedarMor

terrorIzer

cops

hauntedcar

tuMu-I-te-are-toka

policelieuTenAnT

hauntedportraIt

VaMpIres

policepATrol

headslInGer

speciAlABiliTies

swATTeAm

helldrake

weAknesses

corpseworMswarM

hellhound

AcTionseTTingVAmpireminion 56

hoppingVAmpire

corrector

hybrId

creepInGhand

mAn-DoghyBriD

VentrIloquIst’sduMMy 57

VIctIMs

cultIsts

AlligATor-lionhyBriD

TypicAlculTisT

IMpundulu

culTisTpriesT

InquIsItIon

innocenTVicTims

danseMacabre

TypicAlinquisiTor

TheFiesTyFemAle

ArAchnos,ThemAnyleggeD 15

crAzAlphAsAlius,TheFiresTorm 15

JJrikillimsg,ThehowleroFTruTh 16

ToDoTo,ThemuTATor

VeTerAninquisiTor

TheJock

inquisiTorsThroughTheAges 38

InquIsItorMalus

ThenerD

wendIGo

wereJaGuar

leanhauM-shee

wereshark

VrAlkreshoFTheThousAnDmAws 17

darkMan

lIVInGGod

zoMbIe

lIVInGGrIMoIre

AnimATor

lIVInGtopIary

BrAineATingzomBie

deforMedMInIon

MadscIentIst

einherJAr

deMon/deVIl

MalkIn

explosiVezomBies

chAinDemon

Man-bat

gAszomBie

Demonworm

MetalJuGGernaut

hollywooDzomBie,FAsT

DemonicsTeeD

MuMMy

hollywooDzomBie,slow

gluTTonyDemon

greATermummy

ninJAzomBies

liBrAriAn

guArDiAnmummy

sporezomBie

pAzuzu

icemummy

TechnozomBie

plAgueDemon

sAnDmummy

zomBiechilDren

possessor

occultresearcher

zomBielorD

VIllaIns

satanIcMusIcIan

serIalkIllers

theblackcoachMan

skeleTAlriDinghorse

meThoDsoFDesTrucTion

darkGods

grAnDinquisiTor

minionoFToDoTo

it’s alive!

A typical zombie probably won’t have a Fear rating in the

latter setting, as it’s a “standard” supernatural monster the

characters will face time after time. The ancient and tentacled god

Bzz’or’kath, on the other hand, probably will.

Check out the Jaded section in Savage Worlds as well. If a

monster is going to become a regular foe, then give it a Fear rating

the irst few times it is encountered, and then drop it.

Remember, if you set the Fear rating too high, or assign it

to every monster, the characters are going to spend much of the

time running away or gaining phobias, not to mention blowing

bennies just to be able to stand and ight the thing.

Your players will soon get bored and look for another game

to play. Use Fear sparingly. Creating a spooky atmosphere is much

better than letting the die do the work for you. We’ll look at creating

atmosphere in the Horror GM’s Toolkit .

There are three ways to populate your horror setting with

monsters. First, steal them from other Savage Settings. Many

fantasy creatures work well as minor demons or malevolent

sprites. Second, use the conversion guide in Savage Worlds to

convert them from another system. Third, build your own from

scratch. This section takes a brief look at the latter.

Monsters

There’s no need to sweat buckets when you’re creating a new

beast—chances are your group is either going to kill it or run away:

depending on its strength, Fear rating, and the setting.

We’d like to tell you there’s a set of tables or a magic formula for

making monsters—but there isn’t. Creating a new monster requires

just two things—imagination and a modicum of common sense.

Here’s a quick look at making a monster in just a few minutes.

TheresT

Don’t worry too much about balancing the monsters, but

keep in mind how tough it will be. You don’t need to give a

monster a high Toughness for it to be a challenge, especially if it

has the Undead Ability—assigning it a few nifty Special Abilities is

just as good. Imagine a goblin-like creature that can turn ethereal.

It may be puny physically, but now it can leap out of solid walls to

attack, or vanish into the loor if the ight turns against it.

There are already a number of tools available to help making

monsters easy—use existing monsters as templates, look through

the Special Abilities listing in the rulebook, or check out powers

attributed to supposed supernatural beasts.

AppeArAnce

A good horror monster isn’t necessarily one that can destroy

the whole group in seconds. Sure, it’s scary to the players, as they

watch their beloved characters get dismembered, but it’s scary

for the wrong reasons. If it’s some elder god or demon lord, then

that’s ine, but most monsters don’t have to be party killers.

What makes them scary is their appearance. Before you

start listing traits and Special Abilities, think about the

creature’s appearance.

Let’s look at the zombie, a favorite of many horror settings.

One description is “a walking corpse.” It sums up everything the

players need to know to form their own image of the thing, but

it’s rather light on lavor. It’s also a case of “tell don’t show,” and

a good setting requires you to work the other way round.

How about describing it as, “A shambling corpse, its

putrescent lesh rotted away in places to reveal the bones beneath.

Crawling through its lesh are a horde of worms and beetles,

which have grown bloated as they dine of the rotting muscles. As

it nears, it opens its mouth, and a low, mournful groan escapes

from the soulless body.”

VIllaIns

A true villain isn’t the lowly cultist trying to drag the

characters away to be sacriiced—it’s the mysterious hooded

“master” leading the ceremony. Of course, it can also be the huge

demon he’s just summoned.

Villains may be incidental characters in an adventure or lie at

the heart of your Plot Point, but they should be named Wild Card

characters. If the cult leader is just listed in the adventure as “Cult

Leader,” he probably isn’t worthy of being a true villain.

Creating a villain is no different to creating a monster—come

up with an idea and assign suitable traits, Hindrances, Edges, and

Special Abilities.

Special Abilities? Sure, even a human can have a Special

Ability like Hardy or Poison. All you need is a plausible reason

for him to possess the talent. A cultist might have scaly Armor

as a dark blessing from his god, or maybe the serial killer with

Invulnerability just can’t be killed outright.

The important thing to remember with villains is not to build

them as regular characters. Don’t spend time building a Novice villain

and advancing him. Give him everything you think he needs to fulill

his role in the adventure. Heck, you don’t even have to worry about

FeAr

Should a horror monster have a Fear Special Ability? That

depends on your setting. If the characters are everyday people who

suddenly become exposed to the supernatural, which—according

to their society—doesn’t exist, then yes, every monster should have

a Fear rating. However, if the characters know the supernatural

exists and they spend their days battling it, then only truly scary

monsters need to cause Fear.

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