Failed attempts at immortality
These creatures were once human, but are now trapped between the tides of life and death. They all began their journey to this state while questing for eternal youth, beauty, or immortality. Some began as wizards or alchemists, delving through arcane formulae and blasphemous tomes. Others were scientists, conducting illegal research into genetics, recombinant DNA, and forced mutation through reprogrammed viruses. Some were famous, wealthy, and vain individuals, willing to pay any price to cheat nature and the passage of time. Ultimately, their efforts were only partially successful.
These beings appear youthful and beautiful, radiating good health and blessed with boundless energy. However, this state does not last. After anywhere from 4 months to a year (4D4 months) the “Melting” begins. Their bodies quickly deteriorate until their physical forms liquify. Their tissue begins to transform into mesoglea, a jelly-like mix of water, collagen, and elastic proteins commonly found in Scyphozoa, or “true jellyfish.” Their appearance becomes horrific, looking as if their bodies are melting, dissolving into dripping pools of slime. Unless this process is halted by the Melting One performing a renewal, the creature dies in 5 to 8 days (1D4+4).
Once they begin their “Melting Phase,” these creatures lose the ability to eat, drink, or sleep. On the first day of the melting they rapidly age, appearing a full year older every hour. On the second day their body transforms into a wet, rubbery mass, and on day three they begin oozing copious amounts of caustic mucus. Once they reach this stage, they’re ready to perform a renewal.
To renew, these creatures must merge with a still-living human. They do this by embracing them, covering them with slime, and merging bodies with them. This creates a single mass of melted flesh and slime, which slowly reforms over 24 hours into a young, beautiful, and healthy body once more. This gives the Melting One another period of beauty, youth, and immortality, at least until the next renewal cycle begins.
In combat a Melting One attempts to grapple a victim. If successful, the creature forces a thick layer of slime over the victim’s mouth, flooding their airways and lungs. Once this happens, Keepers should use the drowning rules (page 124 of the Call of Cthulhu Keeper’s Rulebook). The victim must make a CON check to resist taking damage. Once a CON check fails, the victim takes 1D6 points of damage per round, with a successful CON check reducing that damage by half. Once the victim reaches 0 HP they die, and become fully absorbed by the Melting One. If the Melting One is driven off or slain before the victim dies, the victim can be saved by expelling the slime from their airways with a successful First Aid check.
A Melting One while in human form has all the normal frailties and vulnerabilities of a normal human. However, on days one and two of the Melting, they take half damage from physical matter and become immune to poison or gas. From the third through the eighth day, they take minimal damage from physical attacks. In any state a Melting One is fully affected by enchanted weapons and spells. Once killed, whether in the melting phase or not, a Melting One dissolves into a huge puddle of foul-smelling slime, which evaporates in about five minutes, leaving only a dark, burn-like stain in its wake.
Melting One
Characteristic averages (rolls)
| Characteristic | Average (roll) |
|---|---|
| STR | 70 (3D6+3 ×5) |
| CON | 95 (2D6+12 ×5) |
| SIZ | 55 (2D6 ×5) |
| DEX | 60 (2D6+6 ×5) |
| INT | 55 (2D6 ×5) |
| POW | 60 (2D6+6 ×5) |
| HP | 15 |
Average Damage Bonus: +1D4. Average Build: +1. Average Magic Points: 14. Move: 9.
Attacks per round: 1. Fighting attacks: Brawl, by weapon type, or grapple.
- Fighting 50% (20/8), damage 1D3+DB
- Slime Grapple (maneuver): when a successful grapple attack is made, the victim becomes engulfed in slime, triggering the drowning rules (see above)
- Dodge 30%
Armor: None.
Skills: Any they had in life, as chosen by the Keeper.
Spells: Any they had in life, as chosen by the Keeper.
Sanity Loss: 0 points to see a Melting One in human form; 1D3 to see a slain Melting One’s body dissolve into slime and then vanish; 1D4 points to see a Melting One on day 1 or 2 of its Melting Cycle; 1D8 points to see a Melting One beyond the first two days of its Melting Cycle.
