These strange creatures arise from the dark desires of sorcerers to enhance their powers. Through a complicated ritual, passed down through the ages from the Arch-Wizards of Stygia and Atlantis, a sorcerer may offer their living bodies as a home to one of the countless living, yet formless entities lurking at the edges of our reality. The malevolent beings are desperate to obtain physical form, as it is the only way to enter our plane of existence.
In return for merging its own power with that of the petitioning sorcerer, it achieves this. The sorcerer gains certain immunities and abilities from the dark entity, and the creature living within them acquires a physical form and entry into our world. Both are fundamentally changes by this merger, becoming what is known as an Eldritch Symbiont.
Physically, at least initially, these creatures appear quite human and identical to the human sorcerers who performed the ritual. However, within their bodies, merged at a molecular level, now dwells this dark entity. This merger grants the sorcerer the following boons:
- Aging is slowed by 50%.
- Several physical attributes (STR, CON, DEX, & APP) are raised by 25%, even if this exceeds normal human limits.
- POW is raised by 50%, granting at additional 10 MP.
- +2 bonus CON checks to resisting other forms of damage (poison, asphyxiation, and drowning).
- A natural armor rating of 2 points.
- Takes half damage from all non-enchanted attacks (spells and enchanted weapons do normal damage).
- Regenerates 1 HP per hour, to the point where severed limbs can be regrown.
- 50%-time reduction and +2 Bonus dice to the chances for learning a spell.
The Eldritch Symbiont can pass typically as a normal human using all of those abilities. However, if threatened with death it can unleash one final ability:
Tentacles: Extend a pair of 12-foot-long, flexible black appendages, similar to tentacles from its back. These can be used to attack (with clubbing swings or stabbing thrusts), parry physical blows, climb, grasp objects, and constrict opponents. They typically emerge from a strange sigil tattoo on the Eldritch Symbiont’s back, and are completely undetectable unless manifested by the creature. The sigil cannot be removed or destroyed, and is often the first thing regenerated should the Symbiont’s flesh be damaged.
Side Effects: Bonding with these dark entities fundamentally changes the sorcerer’s personality. They grow colder and detached from other humans, no longer feeling bonds of kinship or love. The no longer take pleasure in things like food or drink, and lose all interest in carnal pursuits. They may, and many do, learn to mask this in order to better blend in with normal humans, but is something which takes effort and self-training. Ironically, those who continue to play at being human, the Eldritch Symbionts who stay maintain societal bonds and feign interest in biological pleasures, and the ones who manage to endure the Dark Infringement.
Dark Infringement: What humans do not realize is that this merger with the dark entities is never meant to be an equal partnership. These formless forces of power and chaos are always seeking to become the master of these relationships. Over time Eldritch Symbionts become less and less human. The ones who isolate themselves and sever all ties with their humanity begin to lose what little of it remains. Over time their skins darken, their facial features melt away become a smooth hairless oval, the tentacles permanently emerge with each splitting in two, and they gain the ability to communicate psychically. This entity is known as an Eldritch Usurper.
Sometimes this process takes as long as a century, other times as little as a decade. However, for the rare Eldritch Symbiont’s who force themselves to maintain their bonds with humanity, the process is kept at bay. It can even be completely thwarted, with the Eldritch Symbiont reaching the end of their normal lifespan. With their enhanced physical attributed and reduced aging, most such creature can live up to 300 years.
Eldritch Symbiont, Two made one
Char. Averages rolls
STR 75 (3D6) x 5 +25%
CON 75 (3D6) x 5 +25%
SIZ 50 (3D6) x 5
DEX 75 (3D6) x 5 +25%
INT 70 (4D6) x 5
POW 100 (3D6) x 5 +50%
APP 75 (3D6) x 5 +25%
HP 13
Av. Damage Bonus: +1D4
Average Build: +1
Average Magic Points: 20
Move 9 / 15 (climbing or using its tentacles to enhance movement)
ATTACKS
Attacks per round: 3
Fighting attacks: Eldritch Symbionts can use any weapons humans do, plus attack with their tentacles
Fighting 50% (25/10), damage per weapon type + damage bonus, or unarmed (1D3) + damage bonus
Tentacles 60% (60/12), damage 1D6 + damage bonus
Tentacle grasp (mnvr) 60% (30/12), held (victim immobile, may attempt to break free with a successful opposed STR roll)
Dodge: 65% (32/13)
Armor: 2-points of Eldritch alien hide, half damage from non-enchanted attacks
Spells: Any chosen by the keeper, typically 4D4+2 in number
Skills: Any chosen by the keeper
Sanity Loss: none if seemingly human, 1/1D6 for Sanity points to see an Eldritch Symbiont reveal itself.
