In the ongoing war, called a Special Military Operation by the Russians, in Ukraine reports of mysterious deaths are being surprised on both sides. Reports of men found dead in wooded areas after leaving their positions without having ever firing their weapons. The victims are often along but sometimes found in small groups. So far over five hundred such victims have been reported, although the actual number is likely to be much higher.
The victims appear unharmed, without wounds or injuries but with faces twisted and frozen into masks of uncontrollable laughter. Autopsies show no sign of toxins and the cause of death remains a mystery. A mystery to the Russians anyway, the Ukrainians know full well the cause. A deadly and ancient evil has entered the conflict, and seems to have chosen a side.
These deaths are caused by Mavca, creature which has stalked the Carpathian regions of Ukraine for millennia. The first recorded mention of these creatures and their victims go back to when the region was the Roman province of Moesia Inferior in the 1st century BC. However, in the long history of these creatures they have never been more active.
These creatures appear as beautiful, long haired women, sometimes in loose fitting and revealing dress, but other times completely nude. Mavca use their great charm, persuasiveness, and outright lies to lure men into wooded areas, where their deaths might go unnoticed. Keepers should roll the creature’s Charm, Fast Talk, and Persuade skill checks as opposed rolls vs the target’s POW. Those who fail fall under the creature’s power and follow them wherever they lead. Most are never alive seen again.
Once the Mavca reaches a secluded spot they give their victims a loving but deadly caress. This triggers uncontrollable laughter in victims which quickly has them struggling for breath. Keeper’s should refer to the drowning rules (see page 124 of the Call of Cthulhu Keeper’s Rulebook, CON check or 1D6 points of damage per round). Victims who’ve managed to maintain their breath, before they begin taking damage, may act freely but suffer a penalty dice to all actions. While the victims struggle for breath the Mavca often disarms them, knock them off their feet, and otherwise impedes their efforts to escape. It threatened Mavca defend themselves, with punches, kicks, or employing the weapons taken from their victims.
Once a victim fails their CON check they begin to asphyxiate, gasping for breath as they literally laugh themselves to death. While their victim dies the Mavca dances around them, feeding off their departing life force. Should the Mavca be slain before the victim expires the deadly enchantment ends, ceasing their uncontrollable laughter. These creatures have become bolder since the war began, joining forces and appearing in pair and trios, to launch attacks against large groups of men (ex – like a patrol of unfortunate Russian conscripts).
An even more dangerous variety of these creatures, thought to be the most ancient of their kind, exist and are also becoming more active in the forests of Ukraine. These are the Nyzvka, similar in appearance to the Mavca with one important difference. The skin on the backs of these creatures has rotted or been peeled away, revealing their exposed ribcage holding back decaying flesh. The other difference from Mavca is that each Nyavka knows between three and five spells, as chosen by the keeper.
Mavca (Nyavka) / Deadly Temptress of Ukraine
STR 65 (2D6+6) x 5
CON 95 (2D6+12) x 5
SIZ 50 3D6 x 5
DEX 75 (2D6+8) x 5
INT 60 (2D6+5) x 5
POW 75 (2D6+8) x 5
HP 15
Av. Damage Bonus: none
Average Build: 0
Average Magic Points: 15
Move 9
ATTACKS
Attacks per round: 1 (Brawl or enchanted touch or weapons looted from victims)
Fighting Attacks: Touch to trigger uncontrollable, ultimately fatal laughter
Fighting, Brawl 40% (20 / 8), 1D3
Dodge 45 (22 / 9)
Armor: none, minimal damage from non-magical weapons.
Skills: Charm 75%, Fast Talk 75%, Listen 65%, Persuade 75%, Spot Hidden 65%, Stealth 75%.
Spells: Nyavkas to know 3-5 (1D3+2) spells (Keeper’s Choice).
Sanity Loss: 0/1D4 to encounter a Mavca / 0/1D6 to encounter a Nyavkas
