Don't Tread on Me

Liberty or death, what we so proudly hail
Once you provoke her, rattling of her tail
Never begins it, never, but once engaged...
Never surrenders, showing the fangs of rage

Don't tread on me

So be it
Threaten no more
To secure peace is to prepare for war
So be it
Settle the score
Touch me again for the words that you'll hear evermore...

Don't tread on me

Love it or leave it, she with the deadly bite
Quick is the blue tongue, forked as lighting strike
Shining with brightness, always on surveillance
The eyes, they never close, emblem of vigilance

Don't tread on me

So be it
Threaten no more
To secure peace is to prepare for war
So be it
Settle the score
Touch me again for the words that you'll hear evermore...

Don't tread on me

So be it
Threaten no more
To secure peace is to prepare for war

Liberty or death, what we so proudly hail
Once you provoke her, rattling on her tail

So be it
Threaten no more
To secure peace is to prepare for war
So be it
Settle the score
Touch me again for the words that you'll hear evermore...

Don’t tread on me


Image by Iris Strubegger

 

Gloria

Val

Char

Base

Cost

Pts.

Roll

Notes

20

STR

10

×1

10

13-

400 kg; 4d6

15

DEX

10

×3

15

12-

OCV: 5 / DCV: 5

20

CON

10

×2

20

13-

15

BODY

10

×2

10

12-

18

INT

10

×1

8

13-

PER Roll: 13-

18

EGO

10

×2

16

13-

ECV: 6

25

PRE

10

×1

15

14-

PRE Attack: 5d6

26

COM

10

×½

8

14-

10

PD(STR/5)

4

×1

6

Total: 13 PD / 3 rPD

6

ED (CON/5)

4

×1

2

Total: 9 ED / 3 rED

5

SPD (1+DEX/10)

2.5

×10

25

Phases: 3, 5, 8, 10, 12

8

REC (STR/5+CON/5)

8

×2

0

40

END (CON×2)

40

×½

0

35

STUN (BODY+STR/2+CON/2)

35

×1

0

Total

 135

Pts.

Power/Talent/Skill/Perk

Roll

Gargoyle Powers

3

Bite: 1 pip HKA, no STR bonus (-½)

[1]

75

Venomous Fangs: 6d6 RKA, NND – magical resistance (+1), 0 END (+½), no range (-½), gradual effect – 1 minute (-½), Bite must do BODY damage (-½), must Grab (-½)

15

Fangs: 1d6 HKA (2d6 w/STR)

[2]

45

Gargoyle Pseudolife: Life Support – Full

13

Wings: 8" Flight, usable as gliding (+¼), restrainable (-½)

[2]

9

Gargoyle Hide: Armor +3 rPD / + 3 rED

20

Gargoyle Body: 50% Resistant Physical Damage Reduction, not vs. magic (-½)

5

Iron Will: +5 Mental Defense (9 total)

10

Gargoyle Vision: IR and UV Vision

34

Guardian Spirit: Danger Sense, as a sense, +7 to roll, in and out of combat, immediate vicinity

20-

3

Stone Freeze: Simulate Death

Background Skills

3

Acrobatics

12-

3

Breakfall

12-

3

Concealment

13-

3

Disguise

13-

3

High Society

14-

3

Interrogation (Torturing)

14-

3

Lipreading

13-

3

Seduction

14-

3

Shadowing

13-

3

Stealth

12-

262

Skill Total

135

Char Cost

397

Grand Total

Disadvantage

Pts.

Enraged– When people under her protection are attacked (common, 14-, 8-)

30

Distinctive Features – Female Gargoyle (not concealable, extreme)

25

DNPC – variable people under her protection (normal, 14-)

20

Hunted – Quizaro, an apprentice of her deceased master (more powerful, 8-)

15

Physical Limitation – must obey speaker of her incantation (infrequently, fully)

15

Psychological Limitation – fears and hates wizards (common, strong)

15

Psychological Limitation – finds people to protect (common, strong)

15

Psychological Limitation – never attacks first (very common, total)

25

Total

160



Campaign: Quintara (Fantasy HERO)

Background:
Gloria is a gargoyle. A female gargoyle created by an aging deranged wizard called Pigmelious to act as his bodyguard and companion. His old age and his long years meddling with powers way beyond the reach of a mere mortal had drove him quite insane, to the point where he believed he could mock the gods of Quintara and create life. Sure, many wizards before him had created zombies to act as their undead soldiers, skeletons to haunt their catacombs and even gargoyles to protect their castles, but these are all mindless drones, alive only to the extent that the spell that created them allows. Pigmelious wanted more. He wanted to create true life. To create not only a bodyguard, but also a companion and a confidant to keep him company in his last years.
He spent months studying, researching and improving the ancient arts of gargoyle creation. The final result of his effort was Gloria, the first female gargoyle.
For five long years she was the slave of an abusive master who did not understand that his creation was truly an intelligent being, not just a mindless magical creature he could order around. When Pigmelious finally died of old age, his apprentice Quizaro tried to take control over her, but she managed to escape his greedy clutches.
Ever since then, she has been roaming the land, trying to find a meaning to her so-called life, adopting small villages and towns and taking them under her protection, hoping to one day become more than her gargoylic nature dictates.

Personality:
Above anything else, and despite her intelligence and her unorthodox creation, Gloria is still a gargoyle. Her entire life and being is devoted to protection. However, unlike ordinary gargoyles that protect their master till his death and then remain forever by his death bed, protecting his last stand, Gloria’s intelligence allows her much more leverage. Since her master's death, she has broken completely free of his power and roams the land as she pleases. That being said, her soul is still a gargoyle's soul. On her travels she will find various people who need protection and act as their gargoyle until she is no longer needed. Acting out her true nature gives her tortured soul some peace, even if only for a short while.
 After the experience she had with her master, Gloria has learned to fear and hate wizards and all wielders of the unnatural arts. She will try to avoid them at all costs, and if cornered, will fight to the last drop of blood.

Appearance:
Gloria was carved out of a solid piece of shining white marble in the form of a perfect woman, only with gargoylic features – bat-like wings, fangs and talons, a forked tongue and a long reptilian tail.
As all gargoyles, she can freeze in place, mimicking the stone statue she originated from. And of course, like all other gargoyles, her eyes never close, signifying her guardian nature.

Powers/Tactics:
Like all other aspects of her life, Gloria’s conduct in combat is derived from her gargoylic nature. She will never be the first to attack. She simply cannot. Gargoyles are protectors, not attackers. However, once someone under her protection is attacked, she will retaliate with a deadly rage.
In combat, she is a crafty opponent, taking full advantage of her ability to fly, attacking from above and then rushing back to the safety of the heavens, far out of the reach of most opponents. She will usually rely on her fangs to make hit and run attacks, since she must grab an opponent in order to insert her venom – which makes her relatively vulnerable.
As all other gargoyles, Gloria can be controlled if the right command words are known. However, she still keeps her intelligence. She must follow the letter of the command, but will try to twist and bend the meaning of it in order to break free.

Notes:
Although it may seem that way at first glance, Gloria does not contradict the basic rules about Quintara’s magic (soon to be published on this site!) – That a wizard cannot create life. Even though she is an intelligent being, she is not truly alive – she does not eat or drink, and is no part of the food chain. She does not age, and will not die until being killed in combat. And of course, she cannot procreate.

Campaign Use:
Gloria has two major uses in a campaign. The first, to be an interesting encounter, preferably a basis for a scenario. The characters should be surprised to encounter a female gargoyle, especially a gargoyle with a mind of its own that does not act like a normal gargoyle. Perhaps they will be hired by a wizard to track down and capture this amazing being. Or perhaps they will encounter her fleeing a wizard and rush to save the damsel in distress (albeit a winged and fanged damsel). Or perhaps she will decide to "adopt" the characters and protect them.
The second use is less practical and more philosophical. Gloria (or even stories about her) could always be placed in the background to serve as a constant reminder of what happens when wizards meddle with powers beyond their comprehension.


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 Image by Joseph Barnhard