The Thirsting Tide

Each victim brought to the stone in the forest invigorates the Waves and drives them to hunt out the weak, but each victim also awakens the Thirsting Tide a little more.

In the middle of a private forest of a large, rundown estate, sits a lush and verdant glade. The plants and trees grow tall and strong, often lasting through the winter without losing their flowers and leaves. The animals thrive: the local prey turning on normal predators, the local predators cutting swathes through normal prey.

At the glade’s heart is a spherical stone almost 2m across, smooth and iridescent, of no earthly rock or hue. It has partially sunk into the earth over the ages. Around it is a stride of bare earth and desiccated plant life, the remains of animal bones, most eroded down to fragments.

When the trespassing hunter, Ben Selwyn, stumbled across the glade he was astounded at the size of the animals he managed to shoot, even as they uncharacteristically turned and charged him rather than flee. He brought his friends Arthur Finley and Joe Luckett to the stone, but when Joe discovered the stone and touched it, he was immediately drained of life, falling to the ground as a husk. Ben and Arthur, standing nearby, had a sudden rush of vigour flood their veins. They felt 20 years younger, could smell, see and hear further than before, and yearned to run through the forest to hunt the animals that hid from them.

It didn’t take them long to lose their horror of their friend’s death and revel in the feeling of power his death had given them. Not only did they grow stronger, tougher and faster, with heightened senses, but they healed quicker and looked younger too, developing an almost primal charm. Soon they brought their wives to experience the rush, and a local drunk as a sacrifice to fuel it. As the months went on, they lured more to the stone and their power increased. Sometimes they felt the urge to introduce another to their group, and so now there are nine of them.

There are costs, though. Their rush after a sacrifice lasts for three or four days before ebbing quickly over a few hours and then leaving them with a profound lethargy for nearly 48 hours. After that, they recover to their normal state, albeit weakened and yearning for another dose.

They have also begun to exhibit other predatory and aggressive behaviour, leading them to seduce or lure strangers to secret places and murder them. Whether for this or another reason, they have also found animals have started to shy away from them.

Most recently, they have all started to dream of drowning underneath the surface of a dark storm-wracked ocean.

As their powers grow, those who first experienced the rush have begun to change, their skin becoming flushed and red, slick and sometimes rippling like a liquid, their joints and limbs increasingly flexible, their strength, speed, but also hunger for another rush, growing.

Eventually, The Thirsting Tide, the entity that sleeps within the stone and which is closer to waking up with every sacrifice will awaken and emerge from the stone. A roughly humanoid figure 10 feet tall, it is made from turbulent waves of blood-red water that distort its form with a crash then calming so it can once more reform. For a moment when its surface is still, gleams of moving light from impossible depths can be seen that dart about, slowly making their way to the surface and bursting out to drain the life of any they touch.

Young of the Tide

Average Hit Points: 11
Average Damage Bonus: None
Average Build: 0
Average Magic Points: 13
Move: 8

Combat
Attacks per Round: 1
The Young of the Tide fight like normal humans, with weapons or unarmed.

Fighting 45% (22/9), damage per weapon type + damage bonus, or unarmed (1D3) + damage bonus.
Dodge 30% (15/6)

Skills: Relevant Occupation skills, Charm 50%, Intimidate 50%, Listen 45%, Persuade 45%, Spot Hidden 45%, Stealth 50%.

Armour: None
Spells: None
Sanity Loss: 0

Elder of the Tide

Average Hit Points: 16
Average Damage Bonus: +1D4
Average Build: 1
Average Magic Points: 13
Move: 9

Combat
Attacks per Round: 2
While the Elder of the Tide can fight and usual weapons like normal, they prefer to grapple their victims and drain them of their life.
Once grappled, the Elder may smother their victim in their semi-liquid flesh and drain 1 HP per round, healing themselves by the same amount, increasing to 2 HPs the second round, 3 HPs on the third, and so on. They must continue to grapple their victim each round, who can resist at -20%.

Fighting 60% (30/12), damage per weapon type + damage bonus, or unarmed (1D6) + damage bonus.
Dodge 40% (20/6)

Skills: Relevant Occupation skills, Intimidate 80%, Listen 70%, Spot Hidden 70%, Stealth 70%.

Armour: 3-point liquid skin
Spells: None
Sanity Loss: 0/1D4; 1/1D6 when drained.

The Thirsting Tide

Average Hit Points: 17
Average Damage Bonus: +2D6
Average Build: 3
Average Magic Points: 10
Move: 12

Combat
Attacks per round: 3
Once grappled, the Thirsting Tide may smother the victim in their liquid flesh and drain them of 1D6 HP per round, healing themselves by the same amount. Their victim finds themselves submerged in a turbulent red ocean and must pass a Swim test to reach the surface and then resist a grapple against the Thirsting Tide to escape back onto land. While submerged they will be attacked by one of the draining lights on the third round. Unless they dodge, they will suffer an additional 1D6 HP drain each round as another light finds them.
Draining lights: Every other round, the Thirsting Tide releases a draining light that flies to an opponent and strikes with a Fighting skill of 50%. If it hits, it merges with the victim, draining them of 1D6 HPs, which heals the Thirsting Tide of the same amount.

Fighting 75% (37/15) 2D6 + damage bonus

Armour: All physical attacks inflict only half damage, except fire, extreme heat and explosions, which inflict their normal damage
Spells: None
Sanity Loss: 1/1D10; 1/1D6 when drained

Tom Pleasant