Category Archives: BoL Bestiary

BotA, Etc. – Gladiators of Zhaartahl IV

Wherein your humble scribe presents a couple of characters and a terrible beast in Barbarians of the Aftermath/Barbarians of Lemuria/Etc. format. Because he wanted to, that’s why.

The Shade Ale was flowing freely in the gladiator’s quarters. The men drank toasts and oaths and dirty jokes, all in honor of the undefeated duo from the west.

“If we defeat the Lord Mayor’s prized Boorm Cat, we will be made free men!” Adran bellowed, laughing as the cobalt blue fluid sloshed over the rim of his mug. The others roared and pounded their tables in boisterous excitement. All except the small pale man at the giant’s side.

“If we slay the Lord Mayor’s prized Boorm Cat,” the little man whispered, “he’ll have us killed immediately. He thinks of that damned thing as his own flesh and blood.”

“Come now, Hanlan,” Adran answered quietly. “Did not the arena master himself tell us this welcome news?”

“He lied, Adran. I could read his… face,” the wiry Baltierran’s voice trailed off, well aware that other ears were likely to overhear their conversation. “We can’t fight tomorrow. We have to escape. Tonight.”

“Flee? From the greatest challenge a man could hope to face? Where else are we to fight a Boorm Cat? There are no more in the wilds. The damnable Vanth have seen to that.”

“That may be true. But it also may not. The Vanth aren’t generally known for their truthfulness. And wouldn’t it be better to live long enough to find out?”

“I suppose. I suppose,” responded the Kortman. “So what is the escape plan this time?”

“Just follow my lead, Adran. Unlike last time…”

In the far distance the bells of the grand clock tower tolled nine times, indicating that the city’s gates were closing. And signaling the time for the lights to be extinguished in the gladiators’ quarters. The Lord Mayor was especially insistent that the people’s entertainers be well rested before their turns in the arena.

Adran / Lifeblood 15 / Hero Points 5
Attributes: Strength 3 Agility 2 Mind 0 Appeal -1
Combat Abilities: Brawl 1 Melee 2 Ranged 0 Defense 1
Careers: Gladiator 2 Barbarian 1 Thief 1 Miner 0
Boons: Determined, Steely Gaze, Hard-To-Kill
Flaws: Savage, Honorable
Languages: Kortmanish
Equipment: Sword (d6+2), Very Light Armor (d3-1), Shield (1)

Hanlan / Lifeblood 10 / Hero Points 5 /
Attributes: Strength 0 Agility 1 Mind 2 Appeal 1
Combat Abilities: Brawl 0 Melee 1 Ranged 1 Defense 2
Careers: Thief 2 Scholar 1 Psychic 1 Gladiator 0
Boons: Carouser, Man About Town, Natural Thief
Flaws: Compulsive Gambler, Unlucky
Languages: Baltierreien, Kortmanish, Thoog, Vanth
Equipment: Sword (d6), PsiDagger (d3), Very Light Armor (d3-1)

Boorm Cat / Lifeblood 30
Attributes: Strength 3 Agility 2 Mind 1
Combat Abilities: Defense 3 Protection d6
Attack with bite +5; 2d6 damage
Attack with 2 claws +3 per attack; d6+3 damage each
Attack with all 3 attacks at +1 each

Once the dominant predator of Zhaartahl IV, Boorm Cats have been hunted to near extinction by the alien PsiLords of Vanth. A few of these terrifying creatures likely remain in the wilds, but none have been seen in more than a decade. A handful of specimens remain in captivity, where they are often well-cared for and highly prized.

Boorm Cats stand 8′ tall at the shoulder and are generally 10′ to 15′ in length. They are covered with a thick coat of azure and ochre striped fur and have piercing blue eyes. Though their size, strength and speed make them deadly, it is their keen intellect that makes them truly dangerous. They are cunning hunters and exceptionally clever combatants. Worse still, Boorm Cats are known to possess a number of psychic powers, including the ability to cause a single target not to be able to perceive them.

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BoL-lywood: Prince Rajinder’s Adventures II

Speaking of the late, great Ray Harryhausem, everyone remembers the time that he did the jaw-dropping animation of the four-armed (and four-breasted!) elephant-headed Rakshasi, Bulusu Sunita Kal, in the classic Bollywood fantasy flick Prince Rajinder’s Adventures II, right? No? Well, that makes since, given that it never happened and there was never such a movie. But since we already play pretend all the time, let’s do a little meta-pretending and act like there was such a movie and we all remember it, ok?

So… the climactic showdown scene, which happens after brave, handsome Rajinder has done a little song & dance routine about how he will live forever in the love of the beautiful Princess Kathindra (even if he dies while rescuing her from the wicked sorcerer Bontu Bhavsar) while fighting off a dozen or so thuggee cultists armed with aruval swords and throwing chakrams, features the prince fighting a desperate battle against the aforementioned Bulusu Sunita Kal and her four massive tulwars, which she wields both offensively and defensively.

Just before he enters this battle, Rajinder manages to shatter the iron bonds that hold Kathindra helplessly to the evil magician’s altar by throwing one of the cultists’ chakrams (using multiple ricochets and delivering huge sprays of sparks, of course). This frees her to face Bontu Bhavsar and keep him from interfering with Rajinder’s desperate struggle against the demon.

And who can forget the absolutely amazing comedy relief portions of this scene, which are delivered by Rajinder’s loyal friend, the Monkey Prince Candraprabhava, and his acrobatic antics displayed while keeping the rest of the Thuggee foot soldiers occupied?

After the battle is won (and of course you knew it would be), there are, like, four more song & dance numbers, most of which aren’t worth remembering. Except the one where Candraprabhava interrupts his comedic romancing (chasing, really) of the princess’ sisters, attendants, and every other female on screen other than Kathindra, to urinate on the head of Bontu Bhavsar, who for some reason is being held in a dungeon cell directly beneath the main room of the palace (thus being tortured by hearing the celebration song – along with suffering the “monkey shower” – through the iron grate that is just above his head and out of his reach). One can only imagine the trouble he would have caused if only they had made a third installment.

Prince Rajinder / Lifeblood 11 / Hero Points 6
Attributes: Strength 1 Agility 2 Mind 0 Appeal 2
Combat Abilities: Brawl 0 Melee 2 Ranged 2 Defense 1
Careers: Noble 2 Warrior 1 Bard 1 Thief 1
Boons: Attractive, Marked by the Gods
Flaws: Arrogant
Languages: Hindi
Equipment: Magic Scimitar “Gururatna” (d6+1), +1 to hit; Bow (d6); Very Light Armor (d3-1)

Princess Kathindra / Lifeblood 9 / Hero Points 5 / Arcane Power 12
Attributes: Strength -1 Agility 2 Mind 1 Appeal 3
Combat Abilities: Brawl 0 Melee 1 Ranged 1 Defense 3
Careers: Noble 2 Sorcerer 1 Bard 1 Dancer 1
Boons: Attractive, Power of the Void
Flaws: City Dweller
Languages: Hindi
Equipment: Bichawa Dagger (d3)

Candraprabhava / Lifeblood 12 / Hero Points 5
Attributes: Strength 2 Agility 3 Mind 0 Appeal 0
Combat Abilities: Brawl 2 Melee 1 Ranged 0 Defense 2
Careers: Noble 1 Thief 1 Tumbler 3 Scholar 0
Boons: Keen Eyesight, Keen Hearing, Keen Scent
Flaws: Lecherous, Country Bumpkin
Languages: Hindi
Equipment: Gada Mace (d6); Fist (d2); Kick (d3); Very Light Armor (d3-1)

Bontu Bhavsar / Lifeblood 11 / Villain Points 5 / Arcane Power 13
Attributes: Strength 1 Agility 2 Mind 4 Appeal -1
Combat Abilities: Brawl 0 Melee 1 Ranged 2 Defense 3
Careers: Sorcerer 3 Assassin 1 Scholar 1 Torturer 1
Boons: Magic of the Sorcerer Kings, Magic Resistance
Flaws: Poor Eyesight, Untrustworthy
Languages: Hindi
Equipment: Madu Dagger (d3) X2

Thuggee Cultists (Rabble) / Lifeblood 3 / Hero Points 0
Attributes: Strength 1 Agility 1 Mind -1 Appeal -1
Combat Abilities: Brawl -1 Melee 1 Ranged 1 Defense -1
Careers: Assassin 0
Languages: Hindi
Equipment: Aruval Sword (d6-1); Chakram (d3); Light Armor (d6-2)

Bulusu Sunita Kal / Lifeblood 20
Attributes: Strength 3 Agility 3 Mind 0
Combat Abilities: Defense 2 Protection d3 (+1 for each sword not used to attack)
Attack with one Tulwar, +2; d6
Attack with two Tulwars, +0; d6 each
Attack with three Tulwars, -2; d6 each
Attack with four Tulwars, -4; d6 each

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Nogoloth: The Singer From Beyond

Wherein your humble scribe presents a couple of NPCs and a demon for BoL. These were written with his Nogoloth Lovecraftian/dark fantasy setting in mind, but could easily be used with any BoL fantasy setting. The demon was assembled using the demon rules posted on the BoL boards way back in the day.

“Why have you summoned us?” the creature’s three mouths spoke-sang in unison, its voices harmonizing in a perfect minor triad.

“I call you forth in the name of Zog-Thaloth! The Red King! The Pipes of Wisdom! The Song that Dwells in the Copper Halls of Ullaq!” Sharuthua responded, her tones rising and falling in the prescribed melody of the ritual as Naqugol beat the ceremonial drum in time with the lesser priestesses’ orgiastic dancing.

“You sing well… for having only one voice,” the demon mused. “But the rite is not complete until you reach the highest note, fleshling.”

“Your presence here is at my will! Your power serves my own! Your service shall be rewarded in blood! So I sing in the name of Zog-Thaaaaaaal-oooooooth!” the priestess concluded the summoning song, ascending the scale of Ullaq fully, her lungs afire with the raw power of the final note, so high and piercing that the cavern came alive with a host of Kral bats, their slumber broken by a tone unfamiliar even to their keen ears.

“Well done, savage bonesack. Well done indeed,” chuckled the being from beyond this world. “Phu’ghaq’ug approves of your performance and will gladly serve your will in humility and good faith. Tell us now your wishes, and do please provide us with something to soothe our throats. Travel from our far home is so… drying.”

Sharuthua / Lifeblood 8 / Hero Points 5 / Arcane Power 14
Attributes: Strength 0 Agility 1 Mind 1 Appeal 2
Combat Abilities: Brawl 1 Melee 1 Ranged 0 Defense 2
Careers: Priestess 2, Sorcerer 2, Warrior 0, Farmer 0
Boons: Magic of the Sorcerer Kings, Power of the Void
Flaws: Delicate, Poor Recovery
Languages: Nogolothian, Low Speech, Star Tongue of the Elds
Equipment: Dagger (d3), Staff (d6-1)

Naqugol / Lifeblood 14 / Hero Points 5 / Arcane Power 10
Attributes: Strength 2 Agility 1 Mind 0 Appeal 1
Combat Abilities: Brawl 1 Melee 2 Ranged 0 Defense 1
Careers: Warrior 2, Priest 1, Hunter 1, Sorcerer 0
Boons: Quick Recovery, Hard to Kill
Flaws: Country Bumpkin
Languages: Nogolothian
Equipment: Spear (d6), Light Armor (d6-2)

Phu’ghaq’ug (Greater Demon) / Lifeblood 30
Attributes: Strength 3 Agility 1 Mind 4 Appeal 4
Combat Abilities: Brawl 4 Melee 2 Ranged 2 Defense 4
Demonic Powers: Speech, Sorcery (AP 20), Appeal, Telepathy
Attacks: +3 w/ strike (d6) or as weapon
Protection: 1d3 (iron-like hide)

Phu’ghaq’ug, called The Singer from Beyond, is a demon capable of living in – manipulating the arcane energies of – Nogoloth. Its normal appearance when summoned is of an attractive human man – typically in exceptionally fine clothing – with an effete affect. What marks Phu’ghaq’ug as otherworldly is the extra length of its otherwise human-like head, which accommodates the creature’s two additional mouths. Each mouth speaks with the same voice in a different register (bass, baritone, and tenor). The mouths typically speak in unison, though it is possible for them to communicate independently. Phu’ghaq’ug prefers not to do this, however, because it is deeply in love with the sound of its own voices

Phu’ghaq’ug is typically sought out by savage tribes and primitive sorcerers to serve as a weapon against the more civilized cultures. Whether its powers are employed in defense or aggression it cares not, so long as its taste for human blood is slaked.

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The Clockwork Turtle of Askerion

Wherein your humble scribe presents three Barbarians of Lemuria characters and a monster he put together on a whim, for use in his own (highly-derivative) Kaalmuria setting.

The Zaaric enchantress lay nearly lifeless on the deck, her skin sickly green from the rolling of the ship upon the churning waters. The captain and his first mate discussed their situation, speaking in a language their were fairly confident the witchwoman did not comprehend.

“She’s already paid us half, and we’ve been at sea for three weeks with nothing else to show for it,” the Kellman said in his heavily accented Geiric. “I say we dump her over the side and sail on.”

“Are you mad?” asked the great northern barbarian. “I’ll not have my ship haunted by the ghost of a witch who was murdered at sea.”

“You don’t understand how much trouble this one is, Lorm. You don’t speak her language. She’s constantly going on about how she’ll sail to the ends of the earth to find this Askerion fellow. She’s not going to give up, and thus we’re going to be stuck with her for a very long time. Her contract is ironclad. The ship is hers until we find whatever it is she’s looking for. Or until she dissolves the contract. Or dies.”

“You’re the one who didn’t catch that particular hook, Olbraigh. This is your fault, not mine. And it’s my ship, and it will not be haunted by a witch’s soul!”

Sandris / Lifeblood 10 / Hero Points 5 / Arcane Power 12
Attributes: Strength 0 Agility 1 Mind 2 Appeal 1
Combat Abilities: Brawl 0 Melee 0 Ranged 2 Defense 2
Careers: Sorcerer 2 Scholar 2 Artificer 0 Merchant 0
Boons: Learned (Flora & Fauna), Sling Master
Flaws: Landlubber
Languages: Zaaric, Kellic, Lirian, Thaxian
Equipment: Zaaric Mace (d6), Zaaric Sling (d6-2)

Lorm / Lifeblood 13 / Hero Points 5
Attributes: Strength 3 Agility 0 Mind 0 Appeal 1
Combat Abilities: Brawl 1 Melee 3 Ranged 0 Defense 0
Careers: Barbarian 1 Pirate 3 Thief 0 Soldier 0
Boons: Spear Fighter, Thick Skin
Flaws: Distrust of Sorcery
Languages: Geiric
Equipment: Geirbjornhaller Great Spear (d6+2), Axe (d6), Very Light Armor (d3-1)

Olbraigh / Lifeblood 11 / Hero Points 6
Attributes: Strength 1 Agility 2 Mind 1 Appeal 0
Combat Abilities: Brawl 0 Melee 2 Ranged 0 Defense 2
Careers: Thief 2 Pirate 2 Scholar 0 Physician 0
Boons: Carouser, Marked by the Gods
Flaws: Poor Eyesight
Languages: Kellic, Zaaric, Geiric
Equipment: Kellic Broadsword (d6), Light Armor (d6-2), Shield (+1)

The Clockwork Turtle of Askerion / Lifeblood 40
Attributes: Strength 5 Agility -1 Mind -2
Combat Abilities: Defense -1 Protection 1d6+2
Attack with Bite +1; 2d6

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Pulp BoL Bestiary: The Blood Tiger Of Boruna Kal

Wherein your humble scribe presents a couple of pulpy characters and a deadly foe done up in Barbarians of Lemuria/Dicey Tales style.

“So tell me why we’re here again, Doc,” O’Meara shouted over the roar of the rain that beat heavily on the thick vegetation just outside of the small outcropping that sheltered the doctor and his retinue.

“My patient, Abigail Plume, suffers from an advanced case of Jakarta Plague,” Doctor Shaw replied. “Her father, the newspaper baron Arthur Prescott Plume, has funded this expedition because my research has uncovered evidence that there is a variety of Neomarica gracilis that grows only here on Boruna Kal that contains a compound that I might be able to use to save Miss…”

“Did you see that?” O’Meara asked abruptly, taking the pipe from his mouth and squinting into the deluge. The other crewmen of the Joan de Geneville could tell their first mate was clearly agitated.

“See what?” replied the physician, annoyed by the interruption of his exposition.

“Out there. In the jungle. Something… big… just streaked by us.”

“Nonsense. The largest native fauna on Boruna Kal is a relative of Tamandua tetradactyla, which typically only measures two to three feet in len…”

A deafening roar cut off Shaw’s nascent lecture, as an enormous cat-like beast burst through the tree line, its coat a deep crimson lined with black and a malign intelligence reflected in its amber eyes. Before O’Meara could level his rifle the tiger was upon them, a blurred mass of claws and fangs. Its first strike knocked the sailor back into the stone wall, the lit pipe dropping into the damp leaves.

Chris O’Meara / Lifeblood 13 / Hero Points 5
Attributes: Strength 3 Agility 1 Mind 1 Appeal -1
Combat Abilities: Brawl 3 Melee 0 Ranged 0 Defense 1
Careers: Sailor 2, Mechanic 1, Soldier 1, Merchant 0
Boons: Born Sailor, Fist-Fighter
Flaws: Superstitious
Languages: English, Italian, Spanish, Irish Gaelic
Equipment: M1 Garand (D6+2)

Dr. Ryan Shawn, MD / Lifeblood 10 / Hero Points 5
Attributes: Strength 0 Agility 0 Mind 3 Appeal 1
Combat Abilities: Brawl 0 Melee 0 Ranged 1 Defense 3
Careers: Physician 3, Researcher 1, Socialite 0, Academic 0
Boons: Great Wealth, Well-Dressed, Natural Leader
Flaws: City Boy, Vain
Languages: English, Latin, French, German, Greek, Italian
Equipment: .32 Revolver (D6-1)

The Blood Tiger Of Boruna Kal / Lifeblood 25
Attributes: Strength 3 Agility 3 Mind 0
Combat Abilities: Defense 3 Protection 2 (tough hide)
Attack with bite +4; d6+3
Attack with 2 claws, +3 each; d6+1
(Attack with all three attacks at +2 each)

The Blood Tiger of Boruna Kal is tremendously large, twice again the size of the largest (non-extinct) big cat known to man. The Blood Tiger is a fearless combatant and is known to swim long distances, visiting different islands in the South Pacific in search of prey. The animal is profoundly averse to fire and will flee from any blaze larger than a torch or small campfire.

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BoL Bestiary: Cochmeuhquetl – The Zombies Of Tlactoztlan

Cochmeuhquetl (“sleepwalkers”) are Coztli that, after having been slain in battle, are returned to a semblance of life by Teoyaomqui, the god of dead warriors. Their purposes unknown to the common people of Tlactoztlan – and seldom divined even by the Texotli – these shambling undead creatures are often found within the swamps and deep jungles of the lost valley. Sometimes they appear to be guarding particular areas. Other times they are seen to be working at building new temples. And occasionally they descend upon a village where unrighteous behavior has been observed to mete out the punishment of the gods.

Attributes
Strength 4
Agility −1
Mind −2

Combat Abilities
Attack with Macuahuitl +2; 2d6
Attack with Fists, +3; 1d6
Defense: -1
Protection: d6 (tough skin)
Lifeblood: 15

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Nogoloth: The Bells Of Pnikigystros

Wherein your humble scribe presents a monster and an artifact (in Barbarians of Lemuria format) that he whipped up for his nascent Lovecraftian Fantasy setting, Nogoloth, as he continues to dither on which system to use for such things. You might note that this makes two BoL-based Nogoloth entries in a row. Make of that what you will.

In the port city of Pnikigystros, on the southernmost shore of Nogoloth, there stands an ruined church – once consecrated to St. Xavier of the Kettle, according to the few ancient residents who can recall the times before it was boarded-up and abandoned for reasons unspoken. Despite its dilapidation and lack of occupants, the bells of this cathedral still ring out at dusk and dawn on odd days – days that some claim are holy to the darker gods who hold sway over the affairs of man and beast. The mournful tolling of the bells can be heard from one end of Pnikigystros to the other, even in the fine mansions atop Owl Hill. The people of the city take extra care on these days, when bad luck and murder are in the air. Sailors refuse to weigh anchor on these days, and children who are born between the ringing of the bells are quite often sickly and haunted in appearance.

The residents of the neighborhood where the church stands – called Blacksend by those who dwell there – shun this structure, crossing to the other side of the street and spitting on the ground when they must pass by it as they hurry down Margrave Lane. In the early evening, when the blood red light from the setting sun streams through the building’s high stained glass windows and plays upon the cobblestones outside its doors, even the least superstitious folk choose a route that avoids that sullen street entirely, regardless of the distance that traversing Margrave might save.

In other places of the world one might expect that such a structure would attract the attention of curious children or, perhaps, the interest of a criminal element that might seek to take advantage of such a blighted place, to engage in their unlawful activities out of the watchful eye of the constabulary. But in Pnikigystros, one finds nothing of the sort. My own efforts to recruit urchins or footpads to investigate the church further on my behalf – a system which has proven useful in other areas of Nogoloth, as you’ll recall – have fallen upon willfully deaf ears. Once word reached the broader communities of these sources of inexpensive explorers I found that I was unable even to complete a friendly exchange with such citizens.

If not for the willingness of a certain sea captain and his crew of less-than-sterling repute I might never have found anyone to enter the edifice in question and secure for me the bronze vessel that proved to to be precisely where a particular venerable verger with a tongue loosened by various libations had indicated it would be found. That only the first mate of the Green Phoenix – a peculiar man named Crawford Fowler, whose bearing and features implied a connection to the Cwnuihd Fowlers – delivered the item to me, with a blank stare and far less interest in his payment than I was led to expect from one of his sort, is of no matter.

I must confess that even I – engrossed as I was in my examinations of the Kettle – was slightly unnerved upon hearing that the pirates’ ship – after sitting quietly vacant at the docks for weeks – was suddenly no longer moored there on the 22nd morning after the breeching of the church – a morning, one should note, that followed the tolling of the Bells of Pnikigystros.

Anthrognaath

Anthrognaath are large (2′ to 4′ long) centipedes with the faces of men. These creatures come from somewhere else, entering our world through various arcane devices that typically contain liquids, such as bowls, cauldrons and kettles. Anthrognaath are quite intelligent and often possess significant magical knowledge, but are unable to wield it in their natural forms. For this reason, they seek out sentient host beings into whose body they burrow once the neurotoxin from their bite takes effect. Once inside a host, the Anthrognaath is able to use its arcane abilities through the form it has hijacked. The process of Anthrognaath “possession” does hideous damage to the host being, who will typically survive no more than several weeks, during which time the Anthrognaath will actively seek out new potential hosts.

Attributes
Strength 4
Agility 1
Mind 2

Combat Abilities
Attack with Bite +2; d6-2 plus poison
Defense: 2
Protection: d6-2 (chitin)
Lifeblood: 20

Anthrognaath Poison
A person damaged by the bite of an Anthrognaath must make a Demanding Strength check or become paralyzed in d3 rounds. This paralysis lasts for d3 hours, during which time an Anthrognaath will invade the victim’s body, effectively killing the victim. One an Anthrognaath has so co-opted a body, the host creature will still outwardly resemble its former self, but will in fact be home to the Anthrognaath’s evil mind and powerful arcane abilities. Such unwilling sorcerers possess an Arcane Power of 15 and a Sorcerer career rank of 3.

The Bronze Kettle Of Mithathu

The Bronze Kettle Of Mithathu is a damnable relic of an ancient time. Some two feet in diameter and perpetually cold to the touch, the metal that comprises its form is stamped and carven with obscure runes which are a variant on the Star Tongue of the Elds – hard to decipher but clearly full of dire warnings and other such language designed to dissuade casual use of the item.

The possessor of the Bronze Kettle of Mithathu is highly resistant to all extremes of temperature (a Boon that grants an extra die when rolling to resist such effects). Further, all second and third magnitude spell cast by the possessor receive a bonus die when cast and their Arcane Power costs are reduced by 3 AP.

However, a darkness lingers over the artifact. Every time the Kettle is used as part of a summoning spell, there is a 1-in-3 chance that the summoned creature will immediately attack the magician who calls it forth, regardless of any precautions taken to prevent this. Further, all spells cast with the power of the Kettle permanently drain one Lifeblood from the caster. Lastly, at dusk and dawn on the holy days of the Dark Gods, there is a 1-in-6 chance that an Anthrognaath will emerge from the Kettle in search of a host creature.

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Nogoloth: The Iron Line

Wherein your humble scribe presents a couple of monsters and an artifact (in Barbarians of Lemuria format) that he whipped up for his nascent Lovecraftian Fantasy setting, Nogoloth, as he continues to dither on which system to use for such things.

The pampered academics at the Great University in Khaarm espouse countless theories about the nature, history, and ultimate destination of the Iron Line. The earthier scholars of Canton-on-Imisk have different opinions; some have even followed the Line deep into the windswept mountains of the north in search of hard, scientific truth. But even the hardiest investigators have been forced to turn back well before reaching the Line’s terminus. It seems that each of the several expeditions sent to identify the source of the Line has been driven back – smaller than it was when it embarked, as is grimly expected by the professors and administrators – due to some singular concatenation of events and circumstances or another, all of which seem natural and plausible enough to the casual observer. But that nineteen souls have perished in the pursuit of something as simple as what lies at the other end of a 3′ wide ribbon of iron that is sunken so throughly within the bones of the earth – extending no less than 10 feet deep, even in the hardest of bedrock – has brought something of a sense of doom to the Iron Line and its mystery.

The course of the Iron Line, which has been mapped thoroughly within the areas settled by man, runs from the edge of the cliff that rises above the port of Pnikigystros in the south and winds its way across much of the civilized regions of Nogoloth – passing as it does within no less than 1/2 mile of each of the other major cities, and sometimes through them – before taking its turn into the northern mountains. At any given moment the Iron Line may feel incredibly warm or icy cold to the touch, often radiating significantly different levels of heat a mere handspan apart. Some dedicated observers of the Iron Line report that under certain conditions (time of year, weather, and other factors contribute) the Line seems to sing (very softly) a complex, undulating melody that stirs melancholy and dread within the audience. That some people appear utterly unable to hear this song even as those next to them are able to describe what they are hearing with exquisite detail only furthers the mystery of this Nogolothian oddity.

Q’agpthah

Resembling a hideous and eldritch amalgam of insect, ape and lizard, Q’agpthah live in the caves that dot the high passes of the northern mountains. These beasts possess a cunning, if rudimentary, intelligence and have displayed an aggressive nature that makes them a significant threat to any who seek to travel through the mountains – whether attempting to follow the Iron Line or pursuing other business. Those who have risked their lives to observe these beings’ society – such as it is – report that the Q’agpthah appear to worship regularly at a hieroglyphic-covered altar deep within their mountain caves that clearly could not have been produced by their limited culture. According to the hastily written notes in the field journal of a researcher who has since taken his own life, the Q’agpthah also possess several similarly-inscribed tablets from which they appear to read, though this is doubtless a case of the creatures imitating human behavior rather than observing a true liturgy.

Attributes
Strength 3
Agility 1
Mind 0

Combat Abilities
Attack with Two Claws +1 each; d6+2 damage each
Defense: 0
Protection: d3 (thick fur, chitin, and scales)
Lifeblood: 15

The Tablets of L’thuggothaaa

Within the dark and twisting caves of the Q’agpthah there lies a large chamber – clearly hewn from the rock by some intelligent hand – which serves as the creatures’ Cathedral. An iron altar – stamped and etched with hieroglyphs of a language unrecognizable even to scholars steeped in the deepest mysteries of Nogolothian lore. Atop this altar rest the Tablets of L’thuggothaaa, a pair of ancient stone tablets inscribed with blasphemies so mind-shattering that they have destroyed the minds of all who have read them – including the entire race of alien beings now called “Q’agpthah” by the men of Nogoloth. These tablets, unlike the altar upon which they rest, are written in a language similar to the Star Tongue of the Elds and may potentially be deciphered by any who have studied that damnable tongue.

Game Information: A person who acquires and deciphers the Tablets of L’thuggothaaa – neither of these is an easy task – will immediately be granted the Power of the Void and Magic of the Sorcerer Kings boons. The unfortunate soul who read these words will also be burdened with terrible knowledge that will manifest itself in the form of the Unsettling and Morgazzon’s Curse flaws. As is always the case with Morgazzon’s Curse, the exact nature of the flaw is left to the GM.

Ilthoth-eg

Small, grey-furred cat-like beasts that inhabit the caves deep within the northern mountains of Nogoloth, Ilthoth-eg are set apart from the “normal” wildcats of the region by their abundance of eyes. A typical Ilthoth-eg possesses somewhere between 7 and 11 eyes arrayed across their bodies. Though not truly intelligent, these animals chitter and whisper their previous victims’ words as they stalk their prey through the darkness of the caves.

Attributes
Strength 0
Agility 4
Mind −1

Combat Abilities
Attack with Bite +4; d6-1
Defense: 5
Protection: d3-1 (light fur)
Lifeblood: 8

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BoL Foes: Cuachicqueh – The Shorn Ones

Wherein your humble scribe presents a set of opponents for his Mesoamerican themed setting for Barbarians of Lemuria.

Cuachicqueh – whose appellation translates as “The Shorn Ones” – are the ultimate Tlactozotl warriors; feared by king, priest, soldier and peasant. No fiercer breed of man exists within the lost valley. These elite fighters take their name from their custom of shaving their heads completely but for a single braid that extends over their left ear. They are also known to paint their faces and heads, normally half red and half blue, though other color schemes have been seen. Prior to entering battle, each Cuachicqueh swears a blood oath never to retreat even a single step. Violation of this oath results in death.

Rumors persist that Cuachicqueh cannot truly be killed by an opponent in battle and that if slain their bodies arise anew, powered by some strange magic or perhaps by the will of the gods themselves. Regardless of the veracity of these legends, one is strongly advised not to engage with Cuachicqueh who are charged with the protection of a temple, as these warriors are known to continue fighting through injuries that would kill a lesser man.

Essences
Lifeblood 13

Attributes
Strength 3
Agility 1
Mind 0
Appeal 0

Combat Abilities
Brawl 0
Melee 3
Ranged 1
Defense 0

Career
Warrior 2
Soldier 2

Protection: 1d6-1 (quilted cotton armor & shield)
Weapons: Macuahuitl (obsidian-toothed wooden swords) 1d6+4 (-1 to hit)
Atlatl (dart thrower) 1d6+2

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BoL Bestiary: Quilitlconcuanacatl – Man-Eating Plants Of Tlactoztlan

Although they are largely immobile, Quilitlconcuanacatl pose a serious threat to jungle travelers. These carnivorous plants blend in almost perfectly with their surroundings and surprise all but the most alert eyes when they snap with their powerful jaws. Fortunately, Quilitlconcuanacatl require food only once every 6-12 days, and they will not attack if they are currently digesting a meal. The area immediately around a digesting Quilitlconcuanacatl is far more likely to be occupied by jaguars, crocodiles, and other predators as these awful plants emit a sickening aroma that attracts such creatures to the vicinity.

Quilitlconcuanacatl

When a character has been bitten by a Quilitlconcuanacatl, he or she must succeed at a Hard Agility-based task check or be swallowed whole by the massive plant. Creatures swallowed by a Quilitlconcuanacatl are immobilized and will suffer 1 LB damage each hour they remained trapped inside the creature, as they are being slowly digested. Only the complete destruction of a Quilitlconcuanacatl can save the “meal” from its fate. Once a Quilitlconcuanacatl has successfully swallowed a creature it will not attack or otherwise engage any other creatures in the vicinity. However, the aroma released by a digesting Quilitlconcuanacatl attracts other predators to the area, making it hard for “survivors” to focus on destroying the plant.

Attributes
Strength 5
Agility −1
Mind −3

Combat Abilities
Attack with Bite +3; 2d6
Defense: -1
Protection: d6 (tough, fibrous “skin”)
Lifeblood: 50

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