Feng Shui Supernatural creature types
From: eXceL111 Posted on: 5/23/2003 7:52 am
To: ALL
Message: 223.1
The books only introduce a couple in the main book (hopping vampires, "abominated" ogres and snake men) and in seeds of the new flesh (the failed abominations in the museum). Even Thorns of the Lotus does not have many examples. Sure, building a supernatural creature is not that hard, especially a unique one. That is just like making a PC. But building an interesting/original type/family in the HK movie style IS since I am not really an expert on HK movies.

So, are there any other types you commonly use as mooks, or as named sorcerer flunky? What about the big bad "demon lords"?

From: Master_Kiero Posted on: 5/23/2003 11:52 am
To: eXceL111
Message: 223.2
in reply to: 223.1
A common one for demonic "mooks" I like to do is Corrupted humans. While broadly human, they follow the orders of the Big Bad, and have some demonic features and traits, like fangs, horns, the odd tentacle etc. That way finding a Corrupted human can be a great hook to getting the PCs to investigate what's behind the "infections". And of course try to find a cure for it's victims.

Nice to frame them that way, rather than as minions. Makes them think twice about killing mooks outright if there might be a way to save them. An NPC asking them to free one of their loved ones is a good way to guilt them into finding a non-lethal solution. Not that it stops them giving out a beat-down.

There's some rules online for mooks with Creature schticks which are quite good.

As to Oriental supernaturals, I've been corrupted by White Wolf, but there are many that work outside of the WoD treatment. Hengyokai are shapeshifters who can take on the form of humans. Not dissimilar to lycanthropes of Western legend, but I don't think they're ravening beasts. Essentially I think they're drawn from the same source as Tranimals.

Ancestor spirits can be quite vengeful and nasty ghosts, especially if their descendants haven't done enough to honour them, and treat them with the proper respect.

Hungry ghosts and non-hopping vampires too. As I understand oriental vampires can become invisible at will. There's always the Kuei-Jin of Kindred of the East if you can stomach all that.

Possessed terracotta statues as demonic mooks. Possessed anything for that matter. Lotus can give sentience to inanimate objects by drawing the spirits of demons into them.

And of course there's always the recycling element. Kill a demon in the mortal plane, and all you do is send it back to the Underworld. Where it can be summoned up again by a sorceror. Twice as pissed and out for vengeance.

Kiero

From: eXceL111 Posted on: 5/23/2003 12:37 pm
To: Master_Kiero
Message: 223.3
in reply to: 223.2
Interesting post, thanks for your time writing it, but I want more (I always want more!).

Where do you get "some rules online for mooks with Creature schticks which are quite good"?

I tend to see Hengeyokai more as tranimals or intelligent animals then as supernatural creatures. In fact, a mix of tranimal and physical creature schticks (armor, abysmal spines, poison...) seems best to represent them. But point well taken.

Ancestor spirits of course, nature spirits also I guess, but what kind of powers would they normally have beyond intangibility and flight. As I may have mentionned already, I am not an expert on oriental HK-style legends.

Hungry ghosts are a ghost type, I know those.

Non-hopping vampires, I know nothing about. Sorry, but I never moved Vampire the Masquerade to the East...

Possessed terracotta statues: great idea, and so much more original than zombies!

In a way, what I am looking for are NPC which will not fit the mold of the PC archetypes. For instance the snake demons in the FS book have both Creature and Fu schticks.

From: Master_Kiero Posted on: 5/23/2003 1:14 pm
To: eXceL111
Message: 223.4
in reply to: 223.3
The Unnamed supernatural schticks were on Bryant Durrell's innocence.com site - written by Matt Smith. They were mostly defensive. I think I did see another supernatural mooks house rule with a few others in, not so sure now.

The Kuei-jin were very different to their Western counterparts. Very deadly as well. But no matter.

There's always the goblinoid options - there are clearly ogres, and in the illustrations in the Atlas book there are some very goblin/orc/hobgoblin looking demons. Great for mindless, minion-types. There's always the classic zombies and skeletons. Just trying to think of a way to shear off the D&D connotations of them. I always find Buffy and Angel a good source for random demon-age too.

Kiero

From: Queex Posted on: 5/27/2003 6:38 am
To: Master_Kiero
Message: 223.5
in reply to: 223.4
Why restrict yourself to authentic HK movie baddies? Many films nowadays like to cross that ol' east-west frontier. Why not ring up some old favourites like Ogres, Giants and whatnot? Greek mythology should be a rich seem; and you get good locations for fights, too.

Or why introduce a monster with 12 Bod, Armour IV, Abysmal Spines IV and Blast: Fire? Say hello to a good old fashioned Western dragon, guaranteed to put the willies up the strongest party.

From: urbwar Posted on: 5/27/2003 10:34 am
To: eXceL111
Message: 223.6
in reply to: 223.1
There is an asian vampire type where the head separates from the body and flies, with entrails trailing under the head. usually female in form.

I had a vampiric demon in an adventure I wrote that had a group of tentacles in place of one arm.

I had critters that were modeled after Gargoyles, having wings, a rocky hide, claws, and some nightvision.

One minor villain (from the same adventure the tentacled armed demon was in) was a guy who was given a critter form by The Lotus. Turned into a lizard man like demon.

My adaption of the Cult of the Red Banner (from Hero System) has man/dragon critters, who are powered by shards of the being the Cult worships. Dave Blewer has that up on the Genocide Lounge (along with my adaptation of the Shih from Demon Hunter X)

A good resource for critters comes from Anime. Bio Hunter, Demon City Shinjuko, Ninja Scroll, Devil Hunter Yohko, Demon Fighter Kocho all feature various demonic critters that can be adapted over.

and FYI for everyone: Mike Surbrook is doing an Asian Bestiary for HERO. It will be pdf only, but from posts he has made on the hero games forums, he is doing his best to include lots of critters from all over asia. He was working on Phillipine stuff from his last post over there.