Urayuli

You may see a tree where there wasn’t one before, indistinguishable from any of the other conifers in this forest. Except maybe a bit too symmetrical, a bit too full and round. If you look away for a moment, maybe that tree will be gone. If you’re lucky. If you’re not, you’ll see two glowing red orbs opening near the top of this “tree”. And you feel compelled to approach. You want to resist but your feet refuse to listen. Too late, you see the needles of the tree are stiff fur as the arms you mistook for tree limbs unfurl. Then the mouth filled with crooked, flat teeth opens…

Alternative names: Hairy Men, Tree Men, Forest Giants

Every Urayuli was once a human child. How or why the first Urayuli was created has been long forgotten. They inhabit the vast forests of the Siberian, Alaskan, and Canadian taiga. Blending in among the conifers, they are retiring creatures. Hikers, travelers, and inhabitants in the northern wilderness may pass a Urayuli without ever knowing it. The creatures only make their presence known when hunting – either for food or a child to turn into another Urayuli. Most of the Tree Men are opportunist hunters, taking victims that stumble across the monster’s path by chance. Other Urayuli are bolder, stalking the outskirts of towns, trying to lure victims away from their homes. 

Urayuli serve and worship a number of Mythos deities, such as Ithaqua, Rlim Shaikorth, and the Frost. 

SPECIAL POWERS

Hypnosis: locking eyes with a person, a Urayuli may attempt to take psychic control of them with a successful opposed POW roll. Anyone looking directly at a Urayuli is at risk of hypnotic control. However, only one victim at a time may be controlled. Commands must be simple, such as “come this way”. More complex commands or commands that go against the victim’s nature break the hypnotic domination. Injuries will break the control as well. 

Seeding: a Urayuli forces a seed-like pustule down the throat of a child. Over the next month, the child undergoes an agonizes transformation into a new Urayuli. Nothing can prevent the transformation, aside from death. 

Urayuli, abductors in the forest

Average Hit Points: 29

Average Damage Bonus: +4D6

Average Build: 5

Average Magic Points: 13

Move: 7

ATTACKS

Attacks per round: 2 (smash, seize, gnash)

Urayuli fight by using their giant fists to smash opponents or to seize them. 

Seize (mnvr): the round following a successful Seize, the Urayuli can use its Gnash attack. The target can attempt to pry themselves from the Urayuli’s first with an opposed STR roll. 

Gnash: can only be used in the round after a successful Seize attack. The victim is ground between the Urayuli’s teeth until they are dead, are released, or make a successful opposed STR roll. 

Skills

Hide and Move Unseen in Forest 85%, Listen 50%

Armor: 2 points of thick, bristling fur.  

Spells: NoneSanity Loss: 1/1D6 Sanity points to encounter a Urayuli

Bruce Priddy

Bruce is a sociology student and co-host of The Crypt Keepers podcast