bone world

8/13/2019 Bone World

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A Lost Souls Supplement

By Richard Sanders

Boneworld by Richard Sanders is licensed under a

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Boneworldby Richard Sanders

Look in through the eyes of long-dead Golgothand ye shall find the Boneworld, the realm of dead flesh and living bone.

— The Manuscript of Korth

Background

In the Void between the Realm of Shadowsand the Plane of Silence there is a skull. On acosmic scale, it is minute, but as skulls go, it is vast.This skull is what remains of the god Golgoth, whoonce walked the young Earth and left to seek otherworlds long before humankind appeared.

Millennium passed, and Golgoth grew wearyof traveling the vast distance between the stars. Heresolved to travel farther and faster, unfettered byhis physical body. He went to the Void, one of thein-between places of the universe, and allowed hisbody to float in the nothingness while the spark ofhis mind took flight. Eons passed, and the passageof time weakened Golgoth’s enormous Will to Live.At last he returned to reclaim his body, seeking therejuvenation of the flesh, only to find that time andthe scavengers of the Afterworld had left him little .. . only his skull. Golgoth’s spirit reentered his skull,and it dwells there still.

Traveling to Boneworld requires the utteranceof a ritual incantation. The words are in Latin, andare recorded only in a few rare tomes of magic. The

ritual requires one hour of uninterruptedconcentration. At the end of the ritual, thecharacter must sacrifice a point of Karma and makea Good Languages roll; failure means the time andKarma are expended for nothing.

With a successful roll, the speaker and anyother beings he is touching will find themselvesstanding in the middle of the enormous circulartunnel that is Golgoth’s right eye socket. One endopens onto a swirling mist, while the othernarrows to a 100 foot-wide circular opening.Bright light beckons from the smaller tunnel.

Those who journey into the mist must make aPassable Will roll; failure means the character islost to the Void. A successful Will roll means thecharacter scrambles back to the eye socket beforethe sucking mist of the Void can claim him.

Entering the smaller opening, a stark whitevista meets the visitor. Masses of rock-like boneform organic-looking slopes that lead to a dustyvalley floor. A domed roof, also of bone, arches intothe sky. Hovering over the valley is a huge ball ofwhite light. There is no color anywhere, and nosound at all.

Welcome to Boneworld.

Boneworld is a semi-material plane. Physicalbeings who travel to Boneworld assume a semi-material consistency, which allows them to interactwith lost souls. Even in their semi-incorporealform, living beings still require air, food, and water,all of which are in limited quantities in the worldinside Golgoth’s skull.


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Within Boneworld, and extending into itsouter sockets, is a thin atmosphere that can sustainliving beings for a number of days equal to theirStamina scores. A living person who dies withinBoneworld will quickly rot, his flesh sloughingfrom his bones, and within a few hours he will riseas a mindless skeleton.

Boneworld possesses a gravity field thatapproximates that of Earth, with the underside ofthe skull being down. A six inch layer of bone dustand skin particles covers the floor of Boneworld.Occasional breezes stir up the dust, blindingtravelers and causing those who still need tobreathe to gag.

The temperature remains constant atapproximately 70 degrees Fahrenheit, the warmthradiating from what is often mistaken as the sun. Itis, in actuality, Golgoth’s spark of life that blazes inthe center of his vast skull.

There is no color in Boneworld. Everythingappears in black, white and shades of gray. Evenobjects coming from the outside are leeched oftheir colors as long as they remain withinBoneworld.

The landscape is dotted with caves, tunnels,and spires of bone. The primary landmarks ofBoneworld are the Orbits of Entry, The Wastes, and

Ossia, the fortress where the Brotherhood ofGolgoth study.

Spires and cliffs of bone make travel through

Boneworld arduous at best. The main geographicaldanger is the area known as the Spongy Medulla.This is a region of deep, smooth-sided pits in thevalley floor that fill with bone dust, making themincredibly hard to notice. Detecting a pit requiresan Alertness or Danger Sense roll of Good or better.Any being, incorporeal or material, stepping into apit will sink straight to the bottom within 2 turns.The pits average twenty feet in depth. A GoodClimb roll is required to escape the pit. Materialbeings will suffocate within (Catastrophic vsStamina) x 2 turns.

Denizens of Boneworld

Boneworld is home to assorted creatures thatdwell there on a more or less permanent basis. Themore intelligent of these may have some type oflair established in one of the thousands of bone


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caves. Anyone traveling through Boneworld islikely to encounter one or more of the creatureslisted on the Common Foes in Boneworld table.

The number of creatures encountered shouldvary at the narrator’s discretion according to thestrength of the player character party.

The evil dragon Ropotou is said to have a lairwithin Boneworld. The absence of its ultimate fear,water, is an appealing aspect of the realm. See LostSouls for more about Ropotou.

Common Foes in Boneworld

Chain rattlerDybbukGremlinHell HoundNight Hag

Skeleton (see Mutant Skeleton table)Skeletal Warrior of Count Monterrant

It is rumored that a microscopic fragment ofevery dead skeleton in the universe appears onBoneworld. The fragments of animal skeletonsform the mountains, canyons, gorges, andbuttresses that slope downwards from the sides ofthe skull. The fragments of humanoid bones slowlycoalesce into new skeletons that gradually emergefrom the dust. When fully formed, they break free

of the surface, shake off their covering of dust, andrise to roam the valley, with no memory of theirpast lives. They exist only to fight any non-skeletons they encounter in their wanderings.

All skeletons in Boneworld are semi-material,which allows them to affect and be affected by lostsouls. They have Passable Defense and do (Defensevs Poor) x 2 damage with their two bony claws.Mutations are common among the skeletons. Rollon the Skeleton Mutation table for moreinformation on an individual skeleton.

Skeleton Mutationd100 Mutation

01-50 Normal skeleton (see Lost Souls). Skeletons onBoneworld do not carry weapons or shields.They attack twice with their claws, each doing(Defense vs Poor) x 2 damage.

51-60 Four-armed skeleton. Receives four attacks perturn, each doing (Defense vs Poor) x 2 damage.

61-65 Alligator tail. Gains an additional tail-whip attackagainst anyone to the rearor flank for (Defense vs. Poor) damage.

66-75 Bull skull. Gains an additional gore attack for(Defense vs Poor) x 3 damage.

76-80 Centaur form. Gains an additional hoof attack(Defense vs Poor) x 3 damage and Great Speed.

81-85 Gorilla arms. Claw attacks inflict (Defense vs.Poor) x 4 damage.

86-90 Two-faced skull. Gains Awesome Alertness, andcan never be surprised.

91-00 Wolf skull. Gains an additional bite attack for(Defense vs Poor) x 3 damage.

The Skeletal Legion ofCount Monterrant

Count Monterrant and his roving bands ofskeletons are an ever present danger inBoneworld. In the middle ages, Count Monterrantwas a reviled warlord who preyed upon plague

victims. Faced by the wrath of the heavens, hisflesh seared by lightning, Count Monterrant willedhis soul to the only sanctuary he knew. Rather thanrisk reincarnation, he cast a spell no longer knownto man, and let his spirit be drawn to Boneworld.

There, he gained dominion over the wildskeletons of Boneworld, gathering strength for hisultimate return to the world of the living. Heconstantly moves his camp from one area of the


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wastes to another, never settling long enough to bediscovered.

The story of Count Monterrant is a chillingstudy in evil, and its undying perseverance.

Buried with my own hands five of my children ina single grave. I pray it was the dogs that dug themup and devoured them. No bells. No tears. This is theend of the world.

— Quote from a plague-year diaryInto the agony of the plague ravaged French

countryside marched another nightmare. In thespring of 1350, Count Louis Monterrant scouredthe region, exhuming the bones of plague victimsfrom their mass graves. The peasants, alreadyterrified by the specter of the black death, darednot stop the mad Count in his desecrations.

Word of the Count’s defilements spread acrossthe land, carried by refugees fleeing the worst ofthe pestilence. And on the heels of the rumorscame the plague, and with it a growing army ofMonterrant’s soldiers. They marched through thesouth of France, pillaging villages at will, killingthose unfortunate enough to survive the scourge,leaving only a few half-mad witnesses to attest totheir atrocities.

One night in the autumn of 1350, the remnantsof a peasant militia gathered against CountMonterrant’s forces, making their stand outside thesmall village of Fraise. As the legions advanced, thestench of the grave came with them. From out ofthe darkness issued the first of the soldiers, his facebloated and blotched by the plague. The peasantsrouted in fear. Most died with their backs to theenemy, but a few escaped to the chapel of St.Rochus. Huddled within the church, they threwaside their weapons and clenched their hands inprayer, beseeching St. Rochus to protect them from

the blasphemies that gathered outside.The door to the chapel burst open before theboot of Count Monterrant. He stood revealed in thecandlelight, his sword bloodied from tip topommel. Between the tombstones of the churchgraveyard, his troops swayed in the darkness likestalks of wheat.

As he stepped across the threshold, a roar ofthunder split the night. Count Monterrant wheeled

to stare at the night sky, his face growing palebeneath streaks of gore. A shriek broke from hisonce grinning lips as he stumbled away from thesanctuary.

Lightning lanced from the heavens,illuminating the stained glass windows withrainbow colors. The peasants sheltered inside thechurch covered their heads, the thunder all butdeafening them. They did not dare leave the churchuntil dawn.

As they crept out of the church the nextmorning, the villagers found that the gravestoneswere upturned, and the ground was pocked withstill smoldering patches of grass and animal fat. Yetof Count Monterrant and his troops, they found nosign. The plague soon subsided, and CountMonterrant was never again seen by a living soul.

Type: Evil Lost SoulConsistency: Incorporeal, vaporousDefense: GreatWTL: 50Abilities: Superior Brawling, Superior Bully,

Good Intelligence, Great Ride, Good StrengthAppearance: Count Louis Monterrant is a

mature warrior with black hair and wild green

eyes. He wears a red cloak, a battered breastplate,and a chain shirt. He rides an elaboratelyharnessed nightmare.

Personality: The Count suffers frommegalomania (he doesn’t really suffer — actually,he enjoys it) and shrieks in frustration at anyperceived setback in his plans. He delights incruelty and giggles at the sufferings of others.

Motivation: To gain access to the gate at theForamen Magnum so he may return, with histroops, to Earth. To date, the Brotherhood ofGolgoth has prevented him from entering the

fortress of Ossia where the gate is located. Theywould rather keep him in Boneworld, where he cando less harm. See below for more information onOssia, the Brotherhood, and the Foramen Magnum.

Combat: The Count prefers not to demeanhimself by engaging in physical combat; instead, helets his troops do the fighting. If challengedpersonally, he will agree to single combat. Hisweapon of choice is a richly decorated long sword,


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which does (Defense vs Great) x 4 damage. Despitehis protestations that he is a man of honor, he willuse every nasty trick possible to win.

Powers: Count Monterrant is surrounded by aPlague Aura. Each turn, all beings (except hisskeleton minions) within thrown range ofMonterrant must make a Great Stamina roll or elselose 1 WTL. Twice per day, Count Monterrant canput up a Power Shield, which protects him from allsupernatural powers for 9 turns. He also has thepower to control the wild skeletons of Boneworld,turning them into his skeletal warriors.

The Count has eighty skeletal warriors,divided into twenty archers and sixty foot soldiers.Normally, the skeletons travel in bands of about sixwarriors and two archers, searching the wastes forwild skeletons to bring to Count Monterrant. Theymindlessly attack any unwary lost souls they maycome across.

Attacks by the Legion are generallystraightforward. The archers fire as soon as theenemy is in range, reserving their ratskull arrowsfor the most powerful-looking targets. After a turnof shooting, the foot soldiers run in from as manysides as possible to crush the survivors with theirbonefist maces. The skeletons will flee if they takelosses of more than 20%.

Type: Evil EntityConsistency: Semi-materialDefense: PassableWTL: 20Abilities: Good Agility, Passable Strength,

Feeble Intelligence, Great DexterityAppearance: Your typical animated skeleton.Personality: Not much fun at parties.Motivation: To capture wild skeletons, and to

kill most everyone else.Combat: Skeletons with bonefist maces do

(Defense vs Passable) x 5 damage. Those who usebone daggers do (Defense vs Passable) x 2 damage.On the sixth hit with a bone dagger, it shatters,doing (Defense vs Passable) x 4 damage.

Archers use bonebows for (Defense vsPassable) x 4 damage. Each archer has four ratskullarrows, which do x5 damage when launched from abonebow. Contact with an animate target causesthe skull to assume the consistency of the targetand to animate, gnawing for an additional (Staminavs Great) damage per turn until it is pulled out.Removing the arrow requires a Good Strength roll.

Bone Weapons

Consistency: DualKarma Cost: 6The bonefist mace looks like a leather-

wrapped skeletal forearm, the hand clutching ablunt-headed spike of iron. It does x5 damage andadds +1 to the wielder’s Brawling skill.

Consistency: DualKarma Cost: 1Like a standard knife, this weapon does x2

damage and adds +3 to Brawling. It invariablyshatters after six successful attacks. On the attackthat it shatters, it does x4 damage instead of x2.


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Consistency: DualKarma Cost: 10This weapon is a longbow constructed of leg

bones, with a tendon bowstring. Arrows fired fromthe bow can be made incorporeal or material at theuser’s whim. The bow does x4 damage and adds +0to the wielder’s Aim. Its undead nature allows it tounhinge its limbs and walk along with its owner.Tapping the bonebow on its handle causes it tochange from walking to firing mode and back.

Consistency: DualKarma Cost: 3Count Monterrant created a special missile for

use with the bonebow. He welded the skull of ablack rat (all too common in plague-infestedEurope) to a bone shaft, which was then fletchedwith crow or vulture feathers. The ratskull arrowincreases the damage of a bow by a factor of one;so when fired from a bonebow it does x5 damage.Contact with an animate target causes the skull toassume the consistency of the target and toanimate, gnawing for an additional (Stamina vs

Great) damage per turn until it is pulled out.Removing the arrow requires a Good Strength roll.

Ossia

At the center of Boneworld is a hugemonastery called Ossia. It rests on a flat plain at themouth of a vast pit known as the ForamenMagnum. The circular pit is almost a mile across. Astockade of bone pillars and towers surrounds

both Ossia and the Foramen Magnum.The monastery is a grotesque pile of bones

laced by a warren of cell-like rooms. Tunnelsburrow into the spongy material of the skull itself,opening into domed, naturally occurring chambersand pockets.


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The Brotherhood of Golgoth made Ossia. Theynumber over two hundred, and dwell within thelabyrinths of the monastery. The Brothers frightenmost visitors at first, for they are all skeletons. Butunlike their wild brethren, these skeletons possessintelligence and uncanny wisdom.

Visitors are always welcome in Ossia, and areinvited to use the educational opportunities for aslong as they choose; unless they threaten harm tothe Bone Brothers, or to Ossia . . . then they areforced to leave Ossia and forbidden future entry. Atany time, there are a dozen sojourners within thewalls of the monastery. The only request is thatvisitors spend a few hours a day speaking to a BoneBrother who will memorize the details of thevisitor’s travels.

The Bone Brothers have the statistics ofnormal skeletons, except they are semi-materialand their Intelligence ratings are Good or above.

They speak in rasping whispers and wear hoodedbrown robes made of dry skin. They also wearbone-link belts which hold a variety of bonemallets, knives, chisels and other tools. The BoneBrothers have their names, in Latin, carved ontotheir foreheads. In combat, they have PassableDefense, and do (Defense vs Poor) x 3 damage withtheir tools.

The Brotherhood is a loosely-organized groupof scholars and builders, basking in the light ofGolgoth. Their purpose is to learn from the spirit ofGolgoth and from visitors, and to extend thestructure of Ossia until it fills the valley, raising allinhabitants of Boneworld closer to Golgoth’s light.Most of the Brotherhood spend their days in themountains, harvesting slabs and pillars of bone andadding them to the city walls. Others act as guardsfor the bone-gatherers, defending against raids byCount Monterrant’s legions.

None of the Brothers dares to venture too farfrom the monastery walls. Skeletons outside Ossiaquickly lose their intelligence and revert to theirwild state, while wild skeletons who stay within


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the walls for one year gain sentience. This amazingtransformation is credited to the proximity of thecity to the spirit of Golgoth, which hangs brilliant inthe sky overhead.

Type: Good EntityConsistency: Semi-materialDefense: PassableWTL: 18Abilities: Poor Brawling, Great Knowledge,

Superior Intelligence, Superior InterrogateAppearance: A skeleton wearing a bone-link

girdle. A strand of black hair still clings to hisyellowed skull. His name is carved in his forehead.

Personality: Talkative and inquisitive. Thoughgenerally genial, he will go into a rage if anyoneshould try to pluck the hair from his head. He isunduly vain about the air of distinction he thinks itgives him.

Motivation: Pilus is stationed at the single,forty foot tall gate to the monastery. It is his duty togreet new arrivals, to answer their questions, andshow them their quarters. He also tries to keepnewcomers out of trouble.

Combat: Pilus carries a bone hammer, whichdoes (Defense vs Poor) x 2 damage.

A few Brothers are allowed to climb to theplatform at the top of Ossia’s central spire, theSpine of Ossia. This structure is made of hundredsof vertebral columns, bound together, reachingnearly a mile into the air. At the top of the columnis a small platform. It is here that the Brotherscome to commune mentally with the spirit ofGolgoth, and to share his knowledge. The Brothers

learn of the wonders of the Universe, discovered byGolgoth in his travels, and they, in turn, share theknowledge they have gained from travelers passingthrough Ossia.

Golgoth may communicate with visitors toBoneworld, if they are brave enough to climb hisspine. Climbing the spine requires a Passable Climbroll at each quarter-mile mark. If asked, a Brotherwill climb with the visitor, adding +2 columns to

the Climb rolls, but he will have to remain on theplatform during the communication with Golgoth,and will, of course, give a full report to the otherBrothers. Golgoth cannot predict the future, andonly has Great Knowledge of Earthly events, buthas Inhuman Knowledge of astronomical subjectsand the afterlife, including supernatural artifacts.

When a member of the Brotherhood hasgleaned all of Gol goth’s wisdom on a particulartopic, he may ask to be installed in the Library ofthe Skulls. This is a large, circular room in thecenter of Ossia, filled with bone pedestals and theendless murmur of voices. On top of many of thepedestals are skulls with glowing eye sockets.When a scholar feels he is ready, he is brought tothis room and his body is dismantled with greatreverence before his skull is placed on a pedestal.His bones are saved to be added to the walls ofOssia. The skulls whisper to one anotherconstantly, endlessly conversing and debating.Each skull is an authority on a particular topic, andvisitors will be directed to the proper skull by theBrotherhood’s librarian, Liber, who is constantlyon duty.

Near the center of the room is, amazingly

enough, a flash of color: a red skull. The skull is notquite whole — two large fragments are missing.According to Liber, this is the skull of Diabolus, anevil otherworldly man-demon, who was veneratedby a necromantic cult know as the Children of theRed Skull. As centuries have passed, and the skullhas decayed, it has gradually disappeared from itshome plane and reappeared, piece by piece, onBoneworld. At a rare directive from Golgoth, theBrotherhood has diligently sought the pieces of thered skull as they have appeared. The pieces areplaced in the library for safekeeping — to prevent

them from falling into the hands of evil beings.Visitors and even members of theBrotherhood are forbidden from attempting tocommunicate with Diabolus. The skull has not yetspoken, but a strong aura of ancient power andcorruption emanates from the red bones. Liberfears some day he will hear the skull murmuring,and he dreads the evil he knows it will speak.


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The main reasons for visitors to journey toOssia is the permanent Gate at the bottom of thecircular pit called the Foramen Magnum.

The Brotherhood limits access to the ForamenMagnum, allowing groups of no more than tenbeings to descend at any one time. They have nodesire to become a way-station for invading forcesof any sort. Golgoth has made it clear that the Gateexists by his will, and he will destroy it beforeallowing it to be misused.

Climbing down the spiral path within theForamen Magnum is a tiresome, five mile trek.Near t he bottom of the pit, bits of Golgoth’sMedulla Oblongata still cling to the bony walls.Anyone, material or incorporeal, brave enough toeat this weird substance will instantly regain alltheir Will to Live.

At the bottom of the Foramen Magnum is aperfect circle of dead-black nothingness. A travelerhas only to state his destination aloud and step intothe Gate, and transport is instantaneous.

The Brothers know Count Monterrant wantsto send his legions through the Foramen Magnumto invade Earth, and it is their pledge to keep himsafely imprisoned in Boneworld. It is every BoneBother’s duty, and the responsibility of all visitors,

to defend Ossia against any attack by CountMonterrant.

Uses for Boneworld

Boneworld can serve many purposes in a LostSouls campaign. Its numerous caves offer arelatively safe home base for groups of characters.The spirit of Golgoth and the Brotherhood’sLibrary are comprehensive sources of information

on the supernatural world. Combat-orientedplayers can wander the dusty valley and find manystrange creatures to fight. The Gate within theForamen Magnum offers players a reliable mode ofplanar travel. And what’s the story with that redskull?

The Bone Demons

“…and as the years pass, even the light ofGolgoth’s wisdom cannot halt the pervasive evil ofDiabolus. His hideous mutterings corrupt thelearned skulls of The Library, and even members ofthe Brotherhood have fallen under the sway of thecrimson bones. Steps must be taken, and soon, tocleanse Ossia of this menace, or other worlds thanthis will suffer…”

—From the journal of Liber, custodian of TheLibrary of Skulls, Ossia, Boneworld

Despite the best efforts of the Brotherhood ofGolgoth, the skull of the man-demon, Diabolus,although still incomplete, continues to gainstrength, sending its influence beyond theboundaries of Boneworld, once more summoningevil to the Earth. In the endless sterility of TheAbyss, the voice of Diabolus whispers to the ranksof demonkind, tempting them with new, powerfulforms, and the freedom to walk again in theUpperworld. Many demons, of all kinds, havesuccumbed to Diabolus’ promises of power andhave pledged their obedience to this distantmaster.

All bone demons under the yoke of Diabolusare evil entities, single-mindedly obeying hiscommandment to inflict harm upon the forces ofGood – living beings or lost souls.

The Bone Demons are a diverse breed, andmay haunt a variety of environments – inner city,desert, forest, etc. – yet all are united in theirservice to Diabolus. In addition to small (or large)homogeneous groups, it is easy to imagine acombined demonic assault force, with the morepowerful or intelligent demons commandingsquads of Chickenbone or Wolfbone Demons,

perhaps preparing the way for an all-out fieryattack by a Redbone Demon.


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Consistency: UnnaturalDefense: PoorSkills: Feeble Strength, Feeble Intelligence,

Good AlertnessAppearance: These creatures are formed from

the multitudinous by-products of the world’spoultry industry. They are upright chickenskeletons, approximately 2 and ½ feet tall, withhorns, internal organs, and extremely sharp“wings”.

Personality: Stupid and cruelCombat: These demons are never encountered

alone. Usually they emerge from garbage piles anddumpsters in squawking flocks of no fewer thantwenty, and sometimes as many as two hundred,attacking in a mass, often overwhelming any targetthrough sheer numbers. Each Chickenbone Demonattacks three times per turn, with beak and wing-spikes for (Defense vs Poor) x 1 damage per attack.

They are terrified of flames, real orectoplasmic, and will flee from such for(Intelligence vs Poor) x 2 turns.

Powers: Due to their habitat and state ofdecomposition, these demons give off a sickeningstench. Any being within Brawling range will be at

–1 column on all actions for (Will vs Poor) x 2turns.

Consistency: Incorporeal, vaporousDefense: PassableSkills: Passable Strength, Passable Intelligence,

Superior StealthAppearance: These vampiric creatures are

humanoid skeletons constructed of darkestshadow, formed from the essences of the cities’unmourned dead. Their only color is a sickly greenglow that issues from eyesockets, nasal cavity, andmouth.

Personality: Vicious and fiercely territorial


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humanoid skeleton (complete with heart, lungs,and other organs) surmounted by the skull of awolf, bear, or other large carnivore. Oversized,slavering fangs gleam wickedly, and hungry yellowlight shines deep within the skull’s eyesockets.

Personality: Predatory, eager for the chaseCombat: It is an unfortunate soul who feels the

hot animal breath of the Wolfbone Demon on theback of his or her neck. Once they have picked up alikely victim’s trail, they are relentless, yet do notmove in for a quick kill. They will follow a patternof hit-and-retreat tactics until the terrified victimcan run no farther, then will attack in earnest. Theforest-devils possess no claws, but attack by bitingfor (Defense vs Good) x 3 damage. This bite isdoubly dangerous since all Wolfbone Demons arecarriers of a supernatural form of rabies thataffects even incorporeal beings. This diseaseimpedes mental functions, causing the victim toperform all actions at –1 column, with a furthercolumn lost for each of the (Will vs Good) days ofthe duration of the disease. The GM may alsorequire role-playing of progressive dementia andhydrophobia (fear of water) on the part of thevictim. The progression of ability loss can be haltedby use of the Healing Hands power, or, if the victimis a lost soul, a return to Limbo, but there will be atleast a –1 column loss for the run of the illness.

Powers: Used to add a degree of challenge to

the hunt, the bestial growls and howls of theWolfbone Demon cause all beings in the local areato flee for (Sanity vs Passable) x 2 turns.

Consistency: UnnaturalDefense: SuperiorSkills: Superior Strength, Passable Intelligence,

Feeble AgilityAppearance: The physical form of the

Stonebone Demons varies greatly, since they aremade up of an amalgam of fossilized bones,gathered into an approximation of human form.Their eyesockets are dark and empty; their voicesare the rasping whisper of sand blowing in thewind.

Personality: Patient and deliberateCombat: Dwellers in deserts and badlands, the

Stonebone Demons lurk under the sand, waitingfor victims to wander into their desolate huntinggrounds. When prey is detected, the sand-fiendsrise ponderously from their hiding places to attack,swinging rock-like fists for (Defense vs Feeble) x 6damage. They may also attack from a distance,spitting small, dual-natured pebbles (stored in thehollow of their skulls) to Thrown range for(Defense vs Good) x 1 damage. Only one attack ofeither type may be made per turn.

Powers: If a potential victim’s escape seemsimminent, the Stonebone Demon may slam itsmassive fists into the ground, causing a violentearth tremor. All beings standing on the ground inthe local area must make a Passable roll vs Agilityor fall down. Stone bone Demons are immune tothis effect.


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Consistency: DualDefense: GreatSkills: Good Strength, Poor Intelligence,

Superior Jump, Superior QuicknessAppearance: A Redbone Demon (only one will

be found in a given area) is a humanoid skeletonwith fangs, claws, a pair of curving horns, and

a long, powerful tail. Its bones glow like hot coals,

with an angry light.Personality: Driven by childish rage, often

alternates between howling in anger and sulking infrustration.

Combat: One of the favorite creations ofDiabolus, formed from the bone-dust of crematedcorpses, the Redbone Demon is unleashed only todestroy. It is eminently suited for this task, withtaloned hands that each inflict (Defense vs Great) x3 damage, and a powerful jaw that bites for(Defense vs Great) x 4. Its blade-tipped tail can alsolash opponents located to its rear for (Defense vsGood) x 2. Worse, all creatures that come intoBrawling range are subjected to this creature’sintense body heat – (Defense vs Good) x 1 damageper turn, and Defense is –2 columns vs this attack.

The Redbone Demon is totally immune to fire-based attacks, material or supernatural, but isvulnerable to water- or cold-based attacks (-2columns on its Defense).

Powers: Once per day, a Redbone Demon canradiate a blast of explosive, dual-natured flame.

This explosion causes (Defense vs Good) x 5damage to all non-fire-proof objects and beings inthe local area.

Artifacts

The following artifacts are not exclusive toBoneworld. They can be discovered on any plane,including the material world.

Consistency: Semi-materialKarma Cost: 6Defense: GoodSkills: Great Dexterity, Feeble Strength

Powers: Fly (at Good Speed)WTL: 10 (Damage to the Hand can be

repaired with the “Healing Hands” power.) Description: This companion/item is

apparently the amputated hand of a long-deadhuman, complete with broken fingernails androtting skin that reveals tendons and weatheredbones. Even worse, a jaundiced eyeball sprouts


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from the back of the Hand, its optic nerveburrowing into the ancient flesh.

Despite its rotted appearance, the Hand movesvery fluidly (and seemingly with intelligence,though it has no real will of its own) – performingtasks at the mental direction of its wielder. Thewielder is considered to be the last being to touchthe Hand and speak a command word, which isusually spelled out in runes tattooed on the fingers.

The Hand cannot wield a weapon, nor carryany objects weighing over one pound, but it canpoint, push small objects, and fly at targets as a fist(its normal Brawling skill is 2, but if the wielderperforms no other actions during the turn, theHand can attack with the wielder’s Brawling skill).The controller can see through the Hand’s eye(which has normal vision, even in completedarkness) in a 60-degree arc, to a range of thirtyfeet.

Controlling the Hand requires some effort.While concentrating on the Hand, the wielder canperform any normal actions, but any task requiringa skill check, including combat, is performed at –2columns. No ghostly powers may be attempted.The Hand will become inert if it moves (or ismoved) more than 200 feet from the wielder, andthe command word must be spoken again to re-activate it.

Consistency: DualKarma Cost: 1 (or 2 WTL)Description: This object is one of the

remaining fragments of the hideous, Cyclopeanstorm-demon known as M ahlbro. The Eye is a 1”diameter crystalline sphere, swirled with

constantly-shifting patterns of gray and black. Asmall flash of white light will occasionally showthrough the murky interior. Merely holding theitem allows the user, no matter what his or herconsistency, to stand fast against wind and/or rainof any intensity, including tornadoes andhurricanes. The sphere’s greater power isactivated if it is inserted into an empty eyesocket.The sphere will expand to fit the host, and willconvey the power to Fly, with no Roll Required, upto four times per day. Once the sphere is used inthis fashion, it cannot be removed until the hostdies (or is reincarnated), and the host loses 2 WTLpermanently.

Consistency: DualKarma Cost: 2 (or 3 WTL)Description: These four teeth, the size and

shape of human canines (as opposed to incisors),are formed from a silvery metal and are inscribedwith many tiny runes. They, too, are part of thedemon, Mahlbro. Possession of any of the Teethallows the owner to regenerate the damage fromone bite attack per day per Tooth. The effects ofany venom or other agent that might accompany abite, however, are not negated. As with the Eye, an

additional, greater power is activated if all fourTeeth are properly implanted in one being’s jaw.The Teeth will, once per day, generate a stroke ofdual-natured lightning – (Defense vs Aim) x 8damage. Once the Teeth are implanted, theyremain in place until death or reincarnation. Uponthe first summoning of the lightning, the owner ofthe Teeth loses 3 WTL permanently.

bone world

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