SCARECROW
Agi d10, Str d6, Vit d10, Ale d8, Int d8, Wil d12
Init d10 + d8; LP 22
Traits: Clairvoyant d8, Fast on your Feet d4, Natural Athlete d6, Mute d6, Out for Blood d8, Phobia (fire) d6
Skills: Athletics d6/Jumping d12/Throwing d8, Covert d6/Sabotage d8/Stealth d10/Terrorize d10, Melee Weapons d6/Pitchfork d8/Scythe d10, Perception d6, Survival d6/Tracking d8, Unarmed Combat d6/Wrestling d8
Scarecrows are living creatures in a sense. Though the original straw and old cloth construct has been inhabited and animated by supernatural forces, once animated it can be killed like any other. A normal, inanimate scarecrow can transform in this way in response to a variety of circumstances. In some cases a singular violent event of extraordinary horror occurring in the vicinity can trigger a scarecrow's animation (usually within a month or so). In most cases however a long string of violent deaths and sadistic tortures on or adjacent to the area the scarecrow occupies are required to cause it to animate. In either case the scarecrows essentially acts as a psychic sponge, absorb the sadistic thrills and homicidal impulses of the perpetrator(s), mirroring them once animated.
Scarecrows exist solely to terrorize, torment and eventually kill any who wander onto the area they inhabit, usually in as horrible and bloody a manner as possible. The area which scarecrow will claim as its killing ground can be limited merely to the field where it is posted but can just as often extend over an entire farm or, in rarer cases, a small number of adjoining farms. Once animated any inhabitants of that area become its first targets, which naturally enough will also include whomever or whatever caused the disturbance that created it in the first place (if they're still around). A victim who responds to the scarecrow's initial terror tactics by simply fleeing the area is usually safe, as scarecrows are not known to venture beyond the boundaries of their killing field. For that reason, though they prefer to terrorize and torment first, scarecrows are clever enough to be subtle about it and quick to capitalize when they've cornered or trapped a victim inadvertently.
When a scarecrow has satisfied its need to terrorize and moves in for the kill it will normally have armed itself with traditional farm implements, preferably a pitchfork (for obvious reasons). Scythes are another favorite, though such things as machetes, hatchets, axes and just about any potentially deadly melee weapon lying about are perfectly acceptable. While scarecrows despise ranged weapons (including guns), preferring to kill up close and personal, thrown weapons are favored as well. Though knives, hatchets and even rocks are usually employed at range solely to terrorize and, when possible, maim and handicap potential victims rather than kill.
Scarecrows will utilize their Covert and Athletics skills to harass and injure potential victims in "hit and run" style attacks as much as possible. They prefer to present themselves in the open only when moving in to make the kill. Even then a scarecrow is prone to spring from the shadows, kill with as little resistance or interference as possible and disappear into the dark again. As they relish a lingering death over the quick kill, this usually means a scarecrow will attempt to finish their prey alone or under circumstances where help will be delayed long enough to allow it to do the deed. Otherwise a scarecrow can just as easily attempt a surprise attack with called shots to vital areas, then flee to the shadows again, resulting in bleeding that will either eventually kill the target or at the very least make it more vulnerable to another attempted kill later.
Damage Resistance: Scarecrows are considered to have an Armor Value of d4W versus piercing attacks (stabbing, gunshots, etc.) and blunt attacks. Most other forms of attack ignores this trait. Further, scarecrows ignore half of all Stun damage done to them (rounding odd numbers down).
Fire: Scarecrows have a phobic fear of fire and for good reason. Any fire based attack typically sets the flammable creature ablaze, continuing to cause d6w Basic damage each turn until extinguished. Further, a scarecrow set ablaze in such a way must overcome its Fire Phobia (a Difficulty 6 Willpower check) before it can even conceive of attempting to extinguish itself. Each turn if fails to overcome its phobia is spent simply cavorting about in terror, flapping its arms and accomplishing nothing much more than taking further damage.
Crows: Scarecrows have a supernatural control over a murder of crows somewhere in the area, typically hanging about in the field it inhabits. Scarecrows are able to command and control the murder at quite a long range, usually up to 10 miles in any direction. Though it can use the crows to attack its victims it prefers to do so in person, reserving the crows for spying and harassing potential victims instead. A scarecrow's Clairvoyant ability is intrinsically linked to its murder of crows, seeing through their eyes wherever they are.
Murder of Crows:
Agi d4, Str -, Vit d10, Ale d6, Int -, Wil d6
Init d4 + d6; LP 16
Skills: Athletics d6/Flying d12, Perception d6/Sight d10, Survival d6, Unarmed Combat d6/Pecking d8
Natural Weapons: Beak d2B
A murder of crows attacks as a swarm, so that standard attacks will probably accomplish nothing. Attacks that effect an area however work just fine, causing a murder of crows to disperse after suffering more than half its Life Points in damage. A dispersed murder of crows cannot reform for 4 hours, though it does so at full strength at time. A scarecrow may still utilize single crows individually in the interim.
A murder cover an area of up to 500 square feet, freely attacking any number of targets within that area with its d2B beak attack.
Single Crows:
Agi d6, Str d2, Vit d2, Ale d4, Int d4, Wil d4
Init d6 + d4; LP 6
Traits: Sharp Sense (sight) d6
Skills: Athletics d6/Flying d12, Covert d6, Perception d6/Sight d10, Survival d6, Unarmed Combat d4
Natural Weapons: Beak d2B
Use in Supernatural adventures:
As scarecrows can fairly easily be defeated one on one (especially utilizing fire as a weapon) they are best used to harrass and threaten PC's who are engaged in some other enterprise, rather than as the strict focus of an adventure. If the GM is aiming for a potentially short adventure, they work just fine though. The GM should bear in mind that, while they can be quite deadly, their phobic aversion and susceptibility to fire provides an obvious weakness a group of PC's can exploit, given the opportunity to coordinate and do so.
Agi d10, Str d6, Vit d10, Ale d8, Int d8, Wil d12
Init d10 + d8; LP 22
Traits: Clairvoyant d8, Fast on your Feet d4, Natural Athlete d6, Mute d6, Out for Blood d8, Phobia (fire) d6
Skills: Athletics d6/Jumping d12/Throwing d8, Covert d6/Sabotage d8/Stealth d10/Terrorize d10, Melee Weapons d6/Pitchfork d8/Scythe d10, Perception d6, Survival d6/Tracking d8, Unarmed Combat d6/Wrestling d8
Scarecrows are living creatures in a sense. Though the original straw and old cloth construct has been inhabited and animated by supernatural forces, once animated it can be killed like any other. A normal, inanimate scarecrow can transform in this way in response to a variety of circumstances. In some cases a singular violent event of extraordinary horror occurring in the vicinity can trigger a scarecrow's animation (usually within a month or so). In most cases however a long string of violent deaths and sadistic tortures on or adjacent to the area the scarecrow occupies are required to cause it to animate. In either case the scarecrows essentially acts as a psychic sponge, absorb the sadistic thrills and homicidal impulses of the perpetrator(s), mirroring them once animated.
Scarecrows exist solely to terrorize, torment and eventually kill any who wander onto the area they inhabit, usually in as horrible and bloody a manner as possible. The area which scarecrow will claim as its killing ground can be limited merely to the field where it is posted but can just as often extend over an entire farm or, in rarer cases, a small number of adjoining farms. Once animated any inhabitants of that area become its first targets, which naturally enough will also include whomever or whatever caused the disturbance that created it in the first place (if they're still around). A victim who responds to the scarecrow's initial terror tactics by simply fleeing the area is usually safe, as scarecrows are not known to venture beyond the boundaries of their killing field. For that reason, though they prefer to terrorize and torment first, scarecrows are clever enough to be subtle about it and quick to capitalize when they've cornered or trapped a victim inadvertently.
When a scarecrow has satisfied its need to terrorize and moves in for the kill it will normally have armed itself with traditional farm implements, preferably a pitchfork (for obvious reasons). Scythes are another favorite, though such things as machetes, hatchets, axes and just about any potentially deadly melee weapon lying about are perfectly acceptable. While scarecrows despise ranged weapons (including guns), preferring to kill up close and personal, thrown weapons are favored as well. Though knives, hatchets and even rocks are usually employed at range solely to terrorize and, when possible, maim and handicap potential victims rather than kill.
Scarecrows will utilize their Covert and Athletics skills to harass and injure potential victims in "hit and run" style attacks as much as possible. They prefer to present themselves in the open only when moving in to make the kill. Even then a scarecrow is prone to spring from the shadows, kill with as little resistance or interference as possible and disappear into the dark again. As they relish a lingering death over the quick kill, this usually means a scarecrow will attempt to finish their prey alone or under circumstances where help will be delayed long enough to allow it to do the deed. Otherwise a scarecrow can just as easily attempt a surprise attack with called shots to vital areas, then flee to the shadows again, resulting in bleeding that will either eventually kill the target or at the very least make it more vulnerable to another attempted kill later.
Damage Resistance: Scarecrows are considered to have an Armor Value of d4W versus piercing attacks (stabbing, gunshots, etc.) and blunt attacks. Most other forms of attack ignores this trait. Further, scarecrows ignore half of all Stun damage done to them (rounding odd numbers down).
Fire: Scarecrows have a phobic fear of fire and for good reason. Any fire based attack typically sets the flammable creature ablaze, continuing to cause d6w Basic damage each turn until extinguished. Further, a scarecrow set ablaze in such a way must overcome its Fire Phobia (a Difficulty 6 Willpower check) before it can even conceive of attempting to extinguish itself. Each turn if fails to overcome its phobia is spent simply cavorting about in terror, flapping its arms and accomplishing nothing much more than taking further damage.
Crows: Scarecrows have a supernatural control over a murder of crows somewhere in the area, typically hanging about in the field it inhabits. Scarecrows are able to command and control the murder at quite a long range, usually up to 10 miles in any direction. Though it can use the crows to attack its victims it prefers to do so in person, reserving the crows for spying and harassing potential victims instead. A scarecrow's Clairvoyant ability is intrinsically linked to its murder of crows, seeing through their eyes wherever they are.
Murder of Crows:
Agi d4, Str -, Vit d10, Ale d6, Int -, Wil d6
Init d4 + d6; LP 16
Skills: Athletics d6/Flying d12, Perception d6/Sight d10, Survival d6, Unarmed Combat d6/Pecking d8
Natural Weapons: Beak d2B
A murder of crows attacks as a swarm, so that standard attacks will probably accomplish nothing. Attacks that effect an area however work just fine, causing a murder of crows to disperse after suffering more than half its Life Points in damage. A dispersed murder of crows cannot reform for 4 hours, though it does so at full strength at time. A scarecrow may still utilize single crows individually in the interim.
A murder cover an area of up to 500 square feet, freely attacking any number of targets within that area with its d2B beak attack.
Single Crows:
Agi d6, Str d2, Vit d2, Ale d4, Int d4, Wil d4
Init d6 + d4; LP 6
Traits: Sharp Sense (sight) d6
Skills: Athletics d6/Flying d12, Covert d6, Perception d6/Sight d10, Survival d6, Unarmed Combat d4
Natural Weapons: Beak d2B
Use in Supernatural adventures:
As scarecrows can fairly easily be defeated one on one (especially utilizing fire as a weapon) they are best used to harrass and threaten PC's who are engaged in some other enterprise, rather than as the strict focus of an adventure. If the GM is aiming for a potentially short adventure, they work just fine though. The GM should bear in mind that, while they can be quite deadly, their phobic aversion and susceptibility to fire provides an obvious weakness a group of PC's can exploit, given the opportunity to coordinate and do so.