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A little context -- circa 1967, Mattel marketed a toy called the Strange Change machine.  Basically, you heated colorful plastic squares and they unfolded into giant bugs, dinosaurs, spacemen, robots, mummies and other assorted critters designed to delight a young boy's imagination.  One of the most unusual and memorable creatures was the Membrane Man, a big-headed humanoid with tattered, wing-like membranes instead of arms.  No back story was provided.
 
So, in Cthulhu terms, what exactly is a Membrane Man and what does it do?
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The Gatherer of Nightmares

A stunted humanoid, with huge crimson eyes,  and upper limbs  that are both a kind of ragged wing and net,  the Gatherer of Nightmares feeds  on the fear  generated by particularly powerful nightmares, gathering the dread in its membrane-like  upper arms.

STR  2d6+2
CON  3d6+3
SIZ  2d6+3 
INT  1d8+2
POW  2d6+8
DEX  3d6

Magic
Points  Equal to POW +1d6
Hit Points 8-10
Damage
Bonus  -1d4 (usually)
Armor
Points  2 point leathery skin

Move:  6/10 (walk/flight)

 

Weapon        Attack %       Damage
Bite               30+1d4%      1d6
Seed
of Fear          –                   See below.

 

Powers:

Seed of Fear: At the cost of  4 magic points the Gatherer can attempt a kind of psychic assault upon a foe. Its target must meet its gaze as a condition of the attack. If the target fails a POW vs. POW contest with the Gatherer, there is no immediate effect; but when the target next attempts to sleep they must roll their POW or less on 1d100 or  suffer a horrible nightmare.

The Gatherer feeds upon the terror created by these nightmares, which it converts into Magic points (1d3 MP/nightmare).  Each night there is a 30% chance that the Gatherer is lurking nearby (within d100 meters),  basking, with its wing-nets spread wide, in the emanations of fear.

 

Each nightmare costs  the afflicted d20+5 points of FATIGUE,  and necessitate a 0/1d3 SAN check.
If FATIGUE  rules are not being used it used it is recommended that the afflicted character be required to make  Stamina tests after every five rounds of strenuous activity or immediately collapse from exhaustion for every 24 hour period after suffering a nightmare.

The nightmares will continue until the Gatherer is slain, or  some very powerful magic is applied.

There is a psychic link between the Gatherer and all victims in which it  has planted a 'Seed,' allowing it to use its Tracking skill to find  its victim's resting place.

Immateriality: The Gather can make itself  incorporeal, at at the cost of 2 MP/round. While  incorporeal it can pass through all solid barriers, that are not magically warded. Additionally, it can only be targeted by magical weapons while in this state.

Skills: Spot 30+1d6%, Stealth 35+1d10%, and Tracking 40+1d6%.

Notes: Has a marked aversion to  cats, and will flee their presence.  The ragged strips of skin that make up its upper limbs are prized by some sorcerers.

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Oh man! I had that toy. One of the more intriguing critters to come out of that machine.

 

I think it grapples his prey with his sticky webbings and drains... something.

I was just now watching Horror Express and the creature in that steals memories/thoughts... leaving the victim dead with blank white eyeballs and a look of fear.

In keeping with its origins I wonder if it might have some ability to go into a torpor state in which it takes on the form of a harmless looking solid mass.

I'll have to think more on that...

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  • 1 month later...

Chrikkies!

Oh man! I had that toy. 

I clicked on your link, Conrad, and realized I had that toy too! Wow! I'd forgotten all about it. It's been what...oh, damn...nearly 45 years+ ago! As I remember now mashing them back together didn't work out as well as the commercial suggested it would...LOL! I wonder what ever happened to that toy :).

Present home-port: home-brew BRP/OQ SRD variant; past ports-of-call: SB '81, RQIII '84, BGB '08, RQIV(Mythras) '12,  MW '15, and OQ '17

BGB BRP: 0 edition: 20/420; .pdf edition: 06/11/08; 1st edition: 06/13/08

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