It emerged from the glowing, seeping wound in wall. A living, human visage of pain. Scars and sores riddled its flesh, too numerous to count. Pieces of jagged, rusted metal protruded from the skin, some bleeding around the base. It had no eyes, bone grown over where the sockets once were. Yet it somehow saw it. It turned its head toward us. It chattered its teeth, exposed from the hooks peeling its lips back, in delight.
Alternative names: Afflicted, Sufferers
Agonists were once human. Many were people that somehow found their way into the god-realm called the Abattoir. Others were drawn into the Abattoir by the realm’s de facto rulers, the Regents, then tossed aside once the Regents grew tired of their playthings. All were found by an entity known as the Jailer. All were stripped of their humanity, then reshaped into living instruments of torture.
The exact reason the Jailer would create such beings is a matter of speculation. The leading belief is that the Abattoir has some sort of parasitic relationship with the creatures, sustaining itself off the agony they inflict on their victims.
Though intelligent, their minds are clouded and addled by an unending, insatiable want to inflict pain on living beings. Still, they approach torture as master artists, capable of bringing a victim to the far threshold of suffering without killing them.
The Regents retain agonists as court guards and concubines. The Lestriconi cult has learned spells to bind agonists. Much like the Regents, the Lestriconi use the agonists as guards, interrogators, and servants to their depraved whims. Spells and artifacts exist that allow agonists entry into our world. Most of these have deceptive names like “Calling Down Ecstasy” and “Music Box of Angels”. Unless bound, the summoned agonist will seize and torture any living being they encounter.
Locks: each agonist has a heavy lock around their neck. This is the source of their power and immortality. If the lock is somehow removed or destroyed, the agonist will regain their human mind and personality, but will be wracked with pain from the mutilation of their body.
Mortification: an agonist can incapacitate a living being, telepathically inflicting unimaginable pain. This allows provides the agonist a pliable canvas to work. It costs the agonist 2 Magic Point and takes effect on a successful opposed POW roll with the victim. The victim is paralyzed for at an hour and loses 2D10 CON and 2D6 Sanity Points, on top of any loses they may suffer under the ministrations of the agonist.
Agonists, butchers from beyond
| char. | roll | average |
| STR | 4D6 x 5 | 70 |
| CON | 3D6 x 5 | 50 |
| SIZ | (2D6+8) x 5 | 75 |
| DEX | 3D6 x 5 | 50 |
| INT | 2D6 x 5 | 35 |
| POW | 4D6 x 5 | 70 |
Average Hit Points: 12
Average Damage Bonus: +1D4
Average Build: 1
Average Magic Points: 14
Move: 8
ATTACKS
Attacks per round: 1 (weapon, finger-blades, and incapacitate)
An agonist can use all unarmed attacks and weapons available to humans.
Disable: agonists have intimate knowledge of human anatomy, using to cripple opponents in combat by striking vulnerable parts of their anatomy. On a successful opposed DEX roll against an opponent, the agonist inflicts 1D4 Hit Points and 2D4 CON damage. Until the victim receives medical attention, their movement is reduced by half and all rolls are made at Hard difficulty.
| Fighting | 55% (27/11), damage per weapon, or finger-blades, 1D4 + damage bonus |
| DisableDodge | Special, see above25% (12/5) |
| SkillsTorture 90% |
Armor: None, but all mundane attacks do minimum damage. Reduced to zero Hit Points, they will reform with 1D4 weeks in the Abattoir. An Agonist cannot be permanently destroyed unless their lock is destroyed.
Spells: None
Sanity Loss: 1/1D8 to encounter an Agonist.
Bruce is a sociology student and co-host of The Crypt Keepers podcast
