(GHILANI WICHTIVIRIDAE)
Strain 3 HMHVV produces only one kind of Infected:
ghouls. You already know about these; they’re the urban boogeymen of every metroplex in the world.
Stricken blind by milky-white cataracts, their acquisi-tion of astral sight, along with enhanced hearing and smell, makes them able hunters. All body hair falls out as their hides gain a scabrous texture; nails grow black
and thicken to be usable in combat, good at digging, and useful in tearing the flesh from victims. Ghouls of-ten organize in packs and may retain their intellect or be driven mad or feral by the pain of transformation.
Their diet is entirely uncooked meat, of which a sizable portion must be of metahuman origin.
The Krieger strain is the most virulent and contagious form of HMHVV in the world, with an estimate by Shiawase last year suggesting they compose ninety to ninety-five percent of the total Infected population globally. This may explain their prominence in the public imagination, often eclipsing the more glamorous vampire by virtue of distribution and likelihood of encounter. Ghouls have a greater presence in the political world as well, from the streets as the 162 ghoul street gang, to the Ghoul Liberation League policlub, to the African nation of Asamando, largely populated by ghouls and ruled by a ghoul queen. Ghouls remain the subject of an ongoing bequest of the late President Dunklezhan’s will, promising considerable money to the first party to develop a synthetic substitute for ghoul consumption. Thus far, no one seems to have made significant progress.
Ghouls display the usual sensitivity to cybernetic implantation, though many who can afford to get cybereyes to restore their conventional vision, or biosculpting to hide their nature from the casual observer.
>
This is the one kind of job a black clinic might be willingto do. Ghouls make for pretty good security, they accept pay in medical waste, and there’s enough documented procedure to make simple implants doable. Of course, you’ve got to sterilize the shit out of the lab afterwards.
>
Butch>
You mean you don’t normally?!>
Bull>
I do. But plenty of back-alley clinics are run by lazyassholes. Buyer beware.
>
ButchGAME
INFORMATION
All Strain 1 and 1a Infected have certain traits in com-mon. Damage taken due to their Allergy to Sunlight (if any) cannot be healed with Regeneration, even after they are no longer being exposed. Normal and magical healing still work.
Unless noted otherwise, all Infected may be adepts, magicians, or mystic adepts. They always have a Magic rating, whether they are magically active or not. The starting Magic rating for Strain 1 Infected is equal to 6
>> HOWLING SHADOWS <<
86
>> PARANORMAL ANIMALS <<or their Essence, whichever is lower. This Magic rating does not include any Initiation ranks an NPC might have if they are magically active.
BANDERSNATCH
The Strain 2 expression of the sasquatch, the bander-snatch is leaner than its non-Infected counterpart. Its fur is typically shaggy and matted; along with the more pronounced teeth and longer arms, the fur lends the bandersnatch a more animalistic appearance than the sasquatch. At least when it can be seen—their fur also aids in bending light around the critter, camouflaging it against the surrounding terrain.
Limits Physical 11, Mental 5, Social 4
Armor 0
Skills Animal Calls (Professional Knowledge) 8, Assensing 6, Athletics skill group 4, Perception 6, Sneaking 10, Unarmed Combat 7
Powers Adaptive Coloration, Dual Natured, Mimicry, Natural Weapon (Bite: (STR+1)P, AP –1, –1 Reach), Natural Weapon (Claw: (STR+2)P, AP –1), Sapience Weaknesses Allergy (Sunlight, Mild), Dietary Requirement
(Metahuman Flesh)
Notes +1 Reach.
BANSHEE
The Strain 1 expression of an elf, the banshee is virtual-ly indistinguishable from its non-Infected cousin, save for their gaunt frame and pallid complexion. Over time, a banshee’s natural skin and hair color fade, with the skin becoming slightly translucent.
DZOO-NOO-QUA
The Strain 1 expression in trolls, dzoo-noo-qua are gro-tesque and frightening figures. The virus causes the troll’s dermal deposits to become irregular spikes and nodules, and it also significantly increases their muscle mass.
B A R S W L I C EDG ESS M
9 2 5 9 4 2 4 1 2 2D6 *
Initiative 9 + 2D6 Movement x3/x5/+2 Condition Monitor 13/10
Limits Physical 11, Mental 4, Social 2–6 (depending on Essence)
Armor 4
Skills Aaawnsing 4, Athletics skill group 4, Counterspelling 6, Intimidation 6, Perception 7, Unarmed Combat 7 Powers Armor (4), Dual Natured, Enhanced Senses (Hearing,
Thermographic Vision), Essence Drain, Immunity (Age, Toxins), Infection, Magical Guard (self only; p. 196, Street Grimoire), Natural Weapon (Bite: DV (STR+1)P, AP –1, –1 Reach), Natural Weapon (Claw: DV (STR+2)P, AP –1), Regeneration, Sapience
Weaknesses Allergy (Sunlight, Moderate), Dietary Requirement (Metahuman Flesh), Essence Loss
Notes +1 Reach. * Magic is equal to 6 or Essence, whichever is lower.
FOMÓRAIG
This is the expression of Strain 2 in trolls. As with the dzoo-noo-qua, the virus increases both muscle mass and dermal bone deposits. The latter take the form of bony “chestnuts” surrounded by acid-secreting glands.
They have jagged claws on both their hands and feet, and typically have long, shaggy manes.
B A R S W L I C EDG ESS M
10 2 4 10 4 1 3 1 2 5 3
Initiative 7 + 1D6 Movement x2/x4/+1 Condition Monitor 13/10
Limits Physical 12, Mental 3, Social 4
Armor 3
Skills Assensing 3, Athletics skill group 4, Counterspelling 6, Intimidation 6, Perception 6, Unarmed Combat 7 Powers Armor (3), Corrosive Secretions, Dual Natured, Magical
Guard (self only; p. 196, Street Grimoire), Natural Weapon (Bite: DV (STR+1)P, AP –1, –1 Reach), Natural Weapon (Claws: DV (STR+2)P, AP –1), Sapience Weaknesses Allergy (Air Pollution, Moderate), Allergy (Sunlight,
Moderate), Dietary Requirement (Metahuman Flesh) Notes Fomóraig have +1 Reach. Cooked meat makes them sick
and causes nausea (p. 409, SR5).
GNAWER
A dwarf with Strain 2, a gnawer resembles a statue of a normal dwarf. The virus transforms the skin into a tough, stone-like surface, which offers a little bit of natural armor.
B A R S W L I C EDG ESS M
4 4 5 4 4 3 4 6 2 2D6 *
Initiative 9 + 2D6 Movement x3/x5/+3 Condition Monitor 10/10
Limits Physical 6, Mental 5, Social 6–10 (depending on Essence)
Armor 0
Skills Perception 6, Sneaking 9, Unarmed Combat 6 Powers Dual Natured, Enhanced Senses (Hearing, Low-Light
Vision, Smell), Essence Drain, Fear, Immunity (Age, Pathogens, Toxins), Infection, Mist Form, Natural Weapon (Bite: (STR+1)P, AP –1, –1 Reach), Paralyzing Howl, Regeneration, Sapience
Weaknesses Allergy (Sunlight, Severe), Dietary Requirement (Metahuman Blood), Essence Loss, Vulnerability (Silver), Vulnerability (Wood)
Notes Banshees can consume only blood, and they suffer nausea (p. 409, SR5) within an hour when they consume anything else. * Magic is equal to 6 or Essence, whichever is lower.
>> HOWLING SHADOWS <<
>> PARANORMAL ANIMALS <<
87
B A R S W L I C EDG ESS M
6 3 4 7 5 2 5 2 2 5 3
Initiative 9 + 1D6 Movement x2/x4/+1 Condition Monitor 11/11
Limits Physical 8, Mental 5, Social 5
Armor 2
Skills Assensing 3, Perception 5, Sneaking 6, Unarmed Combat 5
Powers Animal Control (Vermin), Armor (2), Dual Natured, Enhanced Sense (Thermographic Vision), Immunity (Toxins), Natural Weapon (Bite: DV (STR+2)P, AP 0, –1 Reach), Noxious Breath, Paralyzing Touch, Sapience Weaknesses Allergy (Sunlight, Moderate), Dietary Requirement
(Metahuman Bone)
Notes Charisma score for purposes of the Animal Control power is the gnawer’s natural Charisma + 2.
GOBLIN
Goblins are the Strain 1 expression in dwarfs. They are skeletal figures; the virus causes the loss of all body hair and nearly all body fat, leaving its skin stretched tight-ly over wiry muscles. Goblin ears are almost comicaltight-ly long and pointed, which contributes to their monstrous appearance. They typically have a sickeningly sweet body odor which grows stronger over time.
B A R S W L I C EDG ESS M
6 3 4 6 5 2 5 2 2 2D6 *
Initiative 9 + 2D6 Movement x3/x5/+2 Condition Monitor 11/11
Limits Physical 8, Mental 4, Social 4–7 (depending on Essence)
Armor 0
Skills Assensing 4, Perception 6, Sneaking 8, Unarmed Combat 6
Powers Dual Natured, Enhanced Senses (Smell, Taste, Thermographic Vision), Essence Drain, Immunity (Age, Fire, Toxins), Infection, Natural Weapon (Bite: DV (STR+1)P, AP –1, Reach –1), Natural Weapon (Claws: DV (STR+2)P, AP –1), Regeneration, Sapience
Weaknesses Allergy (Sunlight, Moderate), Dietary Requirement (Metahuman Flesh), Essence Loss, Vulnerability (Iron) Notes Like the dwarfs they were, goblins receive +2 dice for pathogen resistance. Goblins cannot digest heavily processed foods, and they suffer nausea (p. 409, SR5) when they eat them. * Magic is equal to 6 or Essence, whichever is lower.
GRENDEL
An ork with Strain 2, the grendel is a brutal-looking beast. The ork’s profuse body hair grows into a shaggy pelt, the tusks become extremely pronounced, and the arms become strikingly elongated. This enables a gren-del to move with remarkable speed on all fours.
B A R S W L I C EDG ESS M
8 3 4 8 4 1 4 1 1 5 3
Initiative 8 + 1D6 Movement x3/x6/+4 Condition Monitor 12/10
Limits Physical 10, Mental 4, Social 4
Armor 0
Skills Assensing 3, Gymnastics 4, Perception 6, Sneaking 7, Unarmed Combat 5
Powers Animal Control (Subterranean Critters), Concealment (self only), Dual Natured, Enhanced Senses (Low-Light Vision, Smell, Thermographic Vision), Natural Weapon (Bite: DV (STR+1)P, AP –1, –1 Reach), Natural Weapon (Claws: DV (STR+1)P, AP –1), Paralyzing Touch, Sapience
Weaknesses Allergy (Sunlight, Moderate), Dietary Requirement (Metahuman Flesh)
Notes Charisma score for purposes of the Animal Control power is the grendel’s natural Charisma + 3. Grendels have +1 Reach.
HARVESTER
This is the expression of Strain 2 in elves. The harvester is not as lean as normal elves, and their fingernails be-come elongated, knife-like claws. Their mouths are also enlarged, and filled with razor-sharp, pointed teeth.
B A R S W L I C EDG ESS M
5 4 6 6 4 1 5 1 2 5 3
Initiative 11 + 2D6 Movement x3/x5/+3 Condition Monitor 11/10
Limits Physical 8, Mental 4, Social 4
Armor 2
Skills Assensing 3, Athletics skill group 6, Intimidation 4, Perception 5, Sneaking 4, Unarmed Combat 7 Powers Armor (2), Dual Natured, Enhanced Senses (Low-Light
Vision, Thermographic Vision), Movement (self only), Natural Weapon (Bite: DV (STR+1)P, AP –1, –1 Reach), Natural Weapon (Claws: DV (STR+3)P, AP –3), Sapience Weaknesses Allergy (Silver, Moderate), Allergy (Sunlight, Moderate)
>> HOWLING SHADOWS <<
88
>> PARANORMAL ANIMALS <<LOUP-GAROU
The loup-garou is a human Infected with Strain 2. The virus leaves the body covered in short, fine fur. The vic-tim’s fingernails lengthen into hardened claws, and the lips draw back to reveal sharp teeth with particularly pronounced canines.
B A R S W L I C EDG ESS M
4 3 4 7 4 2 4 1 2 5 3
Initiative 8 + 2D6 Movement x3/x5/+3 Condition Monitor 10/10
Limits Physical 8, Mental 4, Social 4
Armor 2
Skills Assensing 5, Athletics skill group 6, Perception 6, Sneaking 6, Unarmed Combat 8
Powers Armor (2), Dual Natured, Enhanced Senses (Hearing, Low-Light Vision, Smell, Thermographic Vision), Natural Weapon (Bite: DV (STR+2)P, AP –2, –1 Reach), Natural Weapon (Claw: DV (STR+3)P, AP –2), Sapience Weaknesses Allergy (Aconite, Moderate), Allergy (Sunlight, Severe),
Dietary Requirement (Metahuman Flesh)
Notes The loup-garou’s power fluctuates over the course of a lunar month, but this cycle is not, as legend would have it, tied to the phase of the moon. During the four-day peak of this twenty-eight-four-day cycle, a loup-garou becomes savage and goes berserk as a Bear shaman (p. 321, SR5) that fights as if it had a Rating 3 adrenaline pump (p. 459, SR5).
>> HOWLING SHADOWS <<
>> PARANORMAL ANIMALS <<
89
MUTAQUA
The mutaqua is the result of Strain 1a in trolls. These ex-tremely rare monstrosities are grotesquely deformed, with stark white skin, heavy musculature, massive claws and teeth, and extensive, asymmetrical dermal bone deposits.
B A R S W L I C EDG ESS M
9 3 5 10 5 2 4 1 2 3D6 *
Initiative 9 + 2D6 Movement x3/x5/+2 Condition Monitor 13/11
Limits Physical 12, Mental 5, Social 4–9 (depending on Essence)
Armor 5
Skills Assensing 5, Athletics skill group 5, Counterspelling 6, Intimidation 7, Perception 6, Sneaking 7, Unarmed Combat 7
Powers Armor 5, Dual Natured, Enhanced Senses (Hearing, Low-Light Vision, Thermographic Vision), Essence Drain, Fear, Immunity (Age, Toxins), Infection, Magical Guard (self only; p. 196, Street Grimoire), Natural Weapon (Bite: DV (STR+1)P, AP –1, –1 Reach), Natural Weapon (Claw: DV (STR+2)P, AP –1), Regeneration, Sapience
Weaknesses Allergy (Sunlight, Extreme), Allergy (Wood, Severe), Dietary Requirement (Metahuman Flesh), Essence Loss, Vulnerability (Fire)
Notes +1 Reach.
A mutaqua can increase its Essence up to three times its natural maximum. A mutaqua only loses one point of Essence every two months.
All mutaqua are adepts, and the gamemaster should assign them appropriate adept powers. Their starting adept power points are equal to their Magic rating.
* Magic is equal to 6 or Essence, whichever is lower.
>> HOWLING SHADOWS <<
90
>> PARANORMAL ANIMALS <<NOSFERATU
These are humans Infected with Strain 1a. They become very pale and gaunt, and they also lose all of their body and facial hair. Their incisors and canine teeth grow sharper and become somewhat more pronounced.
B A R S W L I C EDG ESS M
4 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 2 3D6 *
Initiative 9 + 2D6 Movement x3/x5/+3 Condition Monitor 10/11
Limits Physical 6, Mental 7, Social 6–11 (depending on Essence)
Skills Assensing 6, Conjuring skill group 6, Influence skill group 6, Perception 8, Sneaking 8, Sorcery skill group 7, Unarmed Combat 5
Powers Compulsion, Dual Natured, Enhanced Senses (Hearing, Low-Light Vision, Thermographic Vision), Essence Drain, Fear, Immunity (Age, Pathogens, Toxins), Infection, Influence, Natural Weapon (Bite: (STR+1)P, AP –1, –1 Reach), Regeneration, Sapience Weaknesses Allergy (Sunlight, Extreme), Allergy (Wood, Severe),
Dietary Requirement (Metahuman Blood), Essence Loss, Induced Dormancy (Lack of Air, (Essence) Minutes)
Notes A nosferatu can increase its Essence up to three times its natural maximum. A nosferatu only loses one point of Essence every four months.
All nosferatu are magicians.
Nosferatu can consume only blood, and they suffer Nausea (p. 409, SR5) within an hour when they consume anything else.
Nosferatu have less buoyancy than humans and receive a –4 dice pool modifier to all swimming-related tests.
* Magic is equal to 6 or Essence, whichever is lower.
WENDIGO
The wendigo is the expression of Strain 1 in orks. The transformation is dramatic, with the victim gaining an average of forty centimeters in height, with a commen-surate increase in muscle mass. They also grow a thick coat of white fur. The fingernails harden into formidable claws, and both the upper and lower canine teeth be-come very pronounced.
B A R S W L I C EDG ESS M
8 3 5 6 4 3 4 4 3 2D6 *
Initiative 9 + 2D6 Movement x3/x5/+3 Condition Monitor 12/10
Limits Physical 9, Mental 5, Social 5–8 (depending on Essence)
Armor 0
Skills Assensing 4, Astral Combat 5, Conjuring skill group 5, Intimidation 6, Perception 6, Sneaking 7, Sorcery skill group 6, Unarmed Combat 7
Powers Dual Natured, Enhanced Senses (Hearing, Low-Light Vision, Smell, Visual Acuity), Essence Drain, Fear, Immunity (Age, Pathogens, Toxins), Infection, Influence, Natural Weapon (Bite: DV (STR+1)P, AP –1, –1 Reach), Natural Weapon (Claw: DV (STR+2)P, AP –1), Regeneration, Sapience
Weaknesses Allergy (Ferrous Metals, Moderate), Allergy (Sunlight, Severe), Dietary Requirement (Metahuman Flesh), Essence Loss
Notes All wendigos are magicians or mystic adepts. If the latter, the gamemaster should assign them appropriate adept powers. The value of their starting adept power points is equal to their Magic rating.* Magic is equal to 6 or Essence, whichever is lower.
>> HOWLING SHADOWS <<
>> PARANORMAL ANIMALS <<
91
POSTED BY: G-NOME
Mother Nature tries hard to maintain the purity of her creations, but man’s ignorance of the corruption he slathers upon the world around him often overcomes existing natural systems for genetic stability. I’ve done my fair share of digging and set others upon the path to-ward these mishaps of nature, and gifting this research to the shadows is the best I can hope to accomplish with information that goes a long way to besmirch the image of the corporate forces that control the world.
While several other biologists and I gathered much of the data here, there are parts of the natural world that many will not dive into, even if it is just to study from afar. For that, I asked Hannibelle to look at how the cor-ruptions that have twisted Mother Nature have affected those stricken with HMHVV. What she returned was not exactly what I thought it would be, but it is extremely informative and fragging scary. But first, let’s look at hor-rible mutant and toxic critters that are not Infected.