Creatures of Below
The Spawn of Sokazub
An Uz Genealogy
Darkness was the first power to form from the Void, although others followed. These
powers formed the Shadow Council and fashioned new things, which were often shared
out among the world. These creations were given to the Darkness first; this is why
the Dark has so many secrets, for some were never passed on, kept hidden in the
Underworld. Subere is the name given by Uz to those hidden secrets.
One of the first new creations was the Beast Rune. Nakala, Primal Darkness, enfolded
it before allowing it to pass into the world, and where it had rested in Wonderhome
a dark child lay, called Sokazub. Depending on who tells the story, she either
spawned many children; or only one, who also spawned a single daughter, and so forth.
In all versions, however, the first of her spawned was Molakka, born in the primordial
waters.
Molakka is the Mother of Mollusks, whose great bulk sprouted innumerable tentacles to
grasp any who dared violate her realm. Like all of the earliest entities, her body
had a spirit part and a mortal part. From her mortal part sprouted a host of
creatures to fill the dark waters. Her spawn include the mighty octopus and squid,
the sea slugs and other soft-bodied creatures whom the Uz so love to eat, and the
clams, oysters, and snails, who have hard protective shells to deter predators.
At the same time, the spirit part of Molakka gave rise to a new child, who took the
form of a great segmented worm. This was Swems, who crawled across the bottom of the
black seas and consumed the detritus there. From her mortal part wriggled a great
profusion of worms of all types: lugworms and ragworms, leeches and slime-worms.
Eventually, the dark waters gave rise to something new. A tiny speck of dry matter
arose and grew to become a rock, then an island, and then a continent. Some of the
spawn of Sokazub crawled onto the land and made their homes there, which is why there
are land snails and earth worms. More important was the child born from the spirit
part of Swems. This was Kropa, the Mother of Many, who had an armored body, sharp
claws, and biting mouthparts to ensure her survival in this new and dangerous realm.
Like her ancestresses, Kropa had a spirit part and a mortal part. From her mortal
part were born centipedes, millipedes, and other strange creatures, many of which
are no longer known today. But more important are the children of Kropa's spirit.
Although her spawn are many, only a few are well known.
Kropa's first child was Orani, whose mortal spawn are the spiders, and whose other
children are vast spirits unknown even to the Uz. Orani was born in the Age of
Creation when the world was young and the Enemy still a child. She inherited a vast
mystical nature that she has kept, even into Time. Even humans recognize this. Of
all Sokazub's spawn, only Orani has ever looked past her next meal, at the secrets
bound into the Web of the Cosmos.
Kropa's next children were Borukug and Frestakels, who traveled back to the waters
from whence their mother had come. Their mortal parts spawned the crabs and the
shrimp, respectively, but their spirit parts were too small to generate further
creatures. Thus did the expansion of even the darkness falter in that time of
endless growth.
Gorakiki is the most prolific of Kropa's spawn. She was born during the Endless
Eating Time, when the Uz lived in blissful Uzhome. Like everything else in that
time she thrived, and her children spread throughout creation. So many mortal spawn
did she have that her spirit part was used up completely. She is now only a name,
worshipped through her descendants.
Gorakiki's first spawn remained underground with her, and still shelter in the dark;
we call them bristletails, springtails, and earwigs. Her second spawn swam in the
waters, and are dragonflies, mayflies, and water beetles. Her most numerous spawn
crawled in and upon the earth; these are bugs, beetles, cockroaches, flies, and
hundreds of other insects. When the wicked surface gods made animals of their own,
some of Gorakiki's spawn fed upon them; these are the fleas, lice, and bloodgnats.
Last-born of Kropa's children was Krolar. He was spawned during the Great Darkness,
within the light of the Enemy, in the ashes of Wonderhome called Death Hell. He was
born to be the guardian of the remaining powers of Darkness, and so he alone of
Kropa's spawn knows Subere. As befits one born in that age of violence, Krolar is
strong and deadly, strengthened by Zugorteg and armed with Death by Zorak Zoran. He
proved a worthy defender of Hell, and met defeat only once. He was originally two
spirits, but his twin was devoured by the Chaos thing that he named Bagog, which
means 'traitor.' That creature gained kinship to Krolar and the Darkness thereby,
and now only it and Krolar are known.
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Insect Swarms
Various
Ages: Storm, Darkness, Historical.
Distribution: Worldwide.
Habitat: Any except arctic and sea.
Individual insects are irrelevant to heroes. However, many normal-sized stinging
insects (such as bees, wasps, hornets, or army ants) form swarms that can be
dangerous to humans. The entire swarm acts as a single foe, and may attack any
number of heroes without suffering a multiple opponent penalty. Such swarms are
generally only enraged if their nest is disturbed. The size of the swarm determines
its venom potency and Sting ability rating, but 18 for both is typical of a wasp
nest or a small beehive.
The first swarm of biting insects came from Odbarum, an evil giant that was
destroying the Vingkotlings. Vingkot slew him and burned the body. He threw the
ashes to the winds, but they turned into the many kinds of stinging insects.
Typical Insect Swarm
Weapons and Armor: Sting 2w^0.
Significant Abilities: None.
Poison: Instant, Painful, Potency 18.
Tactics: The swarm will continue stinging until the attackers are driven
off. Heroes can resist the Sting with abilities such as Tough, or with a burning
brand or similar defense. Armor has little effect, and can give a handicap of no
more than ^-1 to the swarm when it attacks. Heavy clothing is equally effective,
but magic is usually more useful. In most cases, insect venom is painful and
incapacitating, but not deadly.
Sen Bardi (Nightflyer)
Myotoides tenebra
Ages: Darkness, Historical.
Distribution: Blue Moon Plateau (Peloria), southern Kralorela, Verenela.
Habitat: Jungle, forest.
Sen bardi are dark, nocturnal, humanoid creatures about the size of enlo, but with
leathery wings instead of arms. These wings have two free, opposable fingers, and
sen bardi are surprisingly dexterous when the wings are folded. They have weak,
spindly legs, but are able to hop about on the ground. Sen bardi prey upon lizards,
small mammals, and large insects, and eat carrion as well. Their habit of stealing
shiny objects and food has made them notorious among jungle travelers.
Sen bardi are completely blind, lacking any eyes, but avoid the sunlight because it
weakens their natural Darksense ability (apply a -3 handicap to Bite and Darksense
while in bright light). They are semi-intelligent, and the rare tamed sen bardi can
even learn simple spells. Among themselves, they do not speak a true language, but
captured sen bardi are taught to obey commands in the Teshnan or Kralori tongue.
Sen bardi descend from the Uz, although the absence of Uz in Verenela would seem to
suggest otherwise. However, the Kralori say that all of the local Uz devolved into
sen bardi as a result of their particular brand of ignorance. The Teshnans say that
the sen bardi accompanied the Uz to the surface from Hell. The amazons of Trowjang
claim that the sen bardi came from the south with the loper people. A few sen bardi
live on the Blue Moon Plateau, which could support any of these beliefs.
Sen Bardi
Weapons and Armor: Bite 18^1.
Significant Abilities: Cunning 5w, Curious 15, Detect Prey with Darksense 2w,
Dexterous 18, Dodge Attack 18.
Tactics: A sen bardi normally swoops down from above, uses its Dexterous
ability to steal something, and flies off before the target can react. Their claws
can even undo buckles and knots. If presented with a more serious threat they flee,
but if cornered will nip at an attacker with their sharp teeth.
Stingworms
Carabus venefix and others
Ages: Darkness, Historical.
Distribution: Uzko lands.
Habitat: Forest, rough terrain.
The larvae of several giant insects are collectively referred to as 'stingworms'.
Stingworms resemble caterpillars, but with longer legs better adapted for fast
movement. Both land- and water-dwelling forms exist. The creatures repeatedly molt
throughout their life, increasing in size each time. The abilities below are for a
stingworm that has completed the last pre-adult molt, and is about to pupate. This
stage is the longest, and some species actually spend longer as larvae than they do
as pupae or adults.
Typical Stingworm
Weapons and Armor: Bite or Sting 15^2, Chitin ^2.
Significant Abilities: Ambush 2w, Large 15, Strong 15.
Poison: Debilitating, Painful, Potency 2w.
Tactics: Stingworms lie in wait for prey, often concealed beneath mud,
stones, or other debris, or in the water if aquatic. When a suitable target passes
by, they lash out suddenly, grab it with their sharp mandibles, and inject their
venom with bite or sting, depending on the species.
Tick, Giant
Dermacentor gigans
Ages: Darkness, Historical (rare).
Distribution: Uzko lands, Chaos nests.
Habitat: Forest, jungle, scrubland.
Giant ticks are a foot or so across, with a rounded body and eight legs, that feed
on the blood of large mammals and reptiles, including humans. They spend most of
their time hidden beneath bushes or in the branches of trees, waiting for a suitable
animal to pass by. They only need to feed once a week or so. Ticks lay eggs in the
soil, which hatch into small, wriggling larvae. Although ticks are solitary in the
wild, they usually wait near each other, so a victim might be attacked by several
at once.
The first ticks dropped off the bloated body of Malia. Malia's worshippers sometimes
breed giant ticks, which they then possess with disease spirits. The tick itself is
immune to the disease, but infects any creature that it bites. Many ticks carry
disease even if found in the wild (typically with an ability rating of 15).
Giant Tick
Weapons and Armor: Bite 2w^0, Chitin ^1.
Significant Abilities: Drain Blood 15, Climb 2w, Hear Prey 15, Hide in Cover 5w,
Small 12, Tough 18.
Poison: Debilitating, Paralyzing, Potency 12.
Tactics: A tick rushes to attack when it detects prey. It bites with its
hooked mouthparts, injecting Paralyzing venom. If the tick is victorious in its
initial attack it remains attached, and begins a new contest to Drain Blood from the
victim. At the narrator's option, the tick's venom and Drain Blood attack can be run
as a single contest with multiple attackers. The tick will remain attached until it
reduces the victim's AP to 0 or below, then will drop off and scuttle away to digest
its meal.
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