TEXT: An e23 Sourcebook for GURPS
  ®
  STEVE JACKSON GAMES
  Stock #37-1562
  Version 1.0 – February 8, 2008
  ®
  Written by SCOTT MAYKRANTZ and JASON LEVINE
  Edited by MICHAEL HAMMES, STEVE JACKSON, and PHILIP REED
  Illustrated by SCOTT MAYKRANTZ
  
  Beings of motion, born to move. These creatures can’t be
  still, will not rest. In the sea, the pets of mermaids surround a
  boat and pull it to pieces. In the forest, a green guru slips from
  place to place. On the plains, super-intelligent cows stand
  placidly, chewing their cud, and then vanish, to reappear a
  continent away. In the shadows, giant spiders spin webs that
  drag their attackers through time.
  In this installment of Creatures of the Night, a variety of
  imaginary animals and dream-spun villains share the common
  thread of movement. This collection will suit any campaign
  world, from time travel to fantasy, from science fiction to mod-
  ern day horror investigations. Each creature is fully described
  with stats and traits, combat options, a list of useful skills dur-
  ing encounters, and adventure ideas.
  About the Authors
  Scott Maykrantz lives in epic splendor in Eugene, Oregon.
  For over 20 years, he has avoided the real world by staying
  home, typing strange ideas into his computer, and selling those
  ideas to people. This is called “freelance roleplaying game
  design.”
  Jason Levine, better known to most as “Reverend Pee
  Kitty,” has been a gamer for most of his life and a die-hard
  GURPS fan since the release of Third Edition. He enjoys mak-
  ing music, collecting Transformers, and praying to “Bob” for
  eternal salvation through alien intervention.
  CONTENTS
  2
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  GURPS System Design ❚ STEVE JACKSON
  GURPS Line Editor ❚ SEAN PUNCH
  e23 Manager ❚ PAUL CHAPMAN
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  and JUSTIN DE WITT
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  and PHILIP REED
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  STÉPHANE THÉRIAULT
  CONTENTS
  INTRODUCTION
  INTRODUCTION  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
  About GURPS. . . . . . . . . . . . 2
  CHRONOCHAOTIC SPIDER  . . . . . . 3
  COWS FROM SPACE . . . . . . . . . . . 5
  WOLLIG  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
  WOODLAND ORACLE . . . . . . . . . . 9
  
  The threads of time are taut and straight, tightropes
  stretched between possibilities. But nothing is perfect.
  Disruptions in the temporal flow can create a tangle of threads.
  Inside such time-knots, chronochaotic spiders are born.
  A chronochaotic spider is approximately two feet tall; its
  legs span over six feet. It is pale and translucent, like colorless
  wax, and its abdomen bears a vague clock-face symbol.
  The spider rests in its web, preying on animals and humans.
  It wraps its victims in silk, saving them for later. The web is
  located in a dark and hidden location, such a castle or cellar. 
  If left alone, the spider has no effect on the world around it,
  and could be mistaken for an ordinary giant arachnid. But
  when the chronochaotic spider is agitated (chased, trapped,
  hurt, etc.), the flow of time shifts around it, like a hurricane
  spinning around its eye. While this sudden movement of time
  is usually obvious (the sun rising and setting, weather changes,
  etc.), individuals in an enclosed environment (dungeon, room
  without windows, etc.) may not notice any time change until
  they venture outside or peer out a window.
  Time Travel Destinations
  The direction of the time-shift is based on how recently the
  spider has fed. To determine this randomly, roll one die. On a
  1-3, the spider is hungry and moves into the future; on a 4-6, it
  is satiated and moves into the past.
  The amount of time shift is determined by the number of
  seconds during which the spider is agitated. After the
  encounter is over, roll 1d and consult the table below. Add +1
  if the encounter lasted seven seconds or more, +2 if it lasted
  15 seconds or more, +3 for 30 seconds or more, +4 for one
  minute or more, and +5 for two minutes or more.
  Roll
  Time Shift
  1-4
  One day
  5
  One week
  6
  One month
  7
  One year
  8
  One decade
  9+
  One century
  If several chronochaotic spiders are encoun-
  tered, make one time-travel direction roll and apply it to all the
  creatures, multiplying the length of time by the number of spi-
  ders. For example, if the GM rolled a 6 after a fight with three
  hungry spiders, time moved three months into the future. If
  some of the spiders escape or are killed partway through the
  encounter, the overall time traveled will be reduced. The GM
  can work out the actual calculations, or adjust the final result
  as he sees fit.
  Note that the spider has no control over the time shift . . . it
  does not direct its power like a time-altering spell. 
  In Combat
  Chronochaotic spiders are agile, cunning combatants that
  strike with blinding speed and easily dodge blows by hand
  weapons. Their poisonous bite does 1d impaling damage. After
  any successful attack, the victim must roll HT. If he fails, he
  acquires Bad Sight (Nearsighted) lasting 30 minutes for every
  point the roll failed. Further successful attacks extend the
  duration cumulatively.
  CREATURES OF THE NIGHT, VOL. 3
  3
  A giant arachnid with the power
  to alter the flow of time.
  Chronolocation
  To notice the world has changed, each time traveler
  makes a Perception roll. Modify the result for the length
  of time.
  One day (Per-5). The differences are subtle. Yesterday
  and tomorrow look a lot like today. Checking the date
  helps, but may also cause confusion.
  One week (Per-2). People have vanished, having left
  days ago or arriving soon. Active construction projects
  show signs of sudden progress or setback. Travelers are
  in the past will relive the same seven days of weather.
  One month (Per+1). Changes are quite obvious. Crops
  and seasons show significant changes. If the travelers are
  in the future, the locals wonder where they’ve been (“We
  haven’t seen you for a month! What happened?”).
  One year or more (Automatic success). Birthdays and
  holidays have been skipped or will be repeated. Familiar
  people might be noticeably older or younger, maybe even
  dead or unborn. The land and cities may be significantly
  altered. 
  CHRONOCHAOTIC
  SPIDER
  
  Going Home
  There are two ways for time travelers to return to their orig-
  inal time: a subsequent encounter with chronochaotic spiders,
  or using the web as a guide for some external method of time
  travel.
  A second encounter could transport the travelers back if
  they are lucky enough to trigger the correct direction and dis-
  tance. Anyone who knows about the spider’s powers can put
  his knowledge to use. For example, travelers seeking to return
  to the past should try and attack the spider after it has fed.
  Individuals with Serendipity may even be lucky enough to
  return to the exact moment they left!
  A surer way is to use the spider’s web in conjunction with a
  time-spanning spell, gadget, or power, as every twist in the
  time-stream is recorded in the web. If the web is intact – and
  the travelers are using powers or technology able to read its
  data – they can use the information to calibrate their temporal
  travel accurately, ensuring their return to the proper time. At
  the GM’s discretion, the magical power within the web itself
  may supply all of the energy for a spell, or provide up to a +4
  bonus for any non-magical time travel.
  Any chronochaotic spiders present during the use of a web
  in this manner will attempt to disrupt the procedure.
  Destroying both the webs and spiders may leave the travelers
  stuck! 
  Useful Skills During Encounters
  The Perception roll to notice a different time period (see
  Chronolocation) can be replaced (or augmented) with Area
  Knowledge or Current Affairs – use History if they have been
  flung into the distant past.
  Occultism, an appropriate version of Hidden Lore, or (in
  some worlds) Biology (Zoology) can be used to identify the
  arachnid and its abilities. Physics (Temporal Physics) or
  Thaumatology will help understand its powers.
  The Escape skill is useful for anyone trapped in the spider’s
  web.
  Adventures
  Groups unaware of a chronochaotic spider’s nature are in
  for a surprise – their involuntary time-travel will undoubtedly
  put a kink in the adventure’s plotline. Victims of the spider’s
  poisonous bite may initially have trouble recognizing the
  change if their vision is too blurred to see details.
  Some might seek out a chronochaotic spider for the pur-
  pose of time travel. Such individuals or groups will benefit
  greatly from spells or special gadgets to control the direction
  and distance of the journey.
  Interesting results are possible during encounters with
  chronochaotic spiders. A shift to the past might allow time
  travelers to meet their earlier selves or ancestors. A shift to the
  far future could set them in a vastly changed landscape (e.g.
  post-apocalyptic) and/or allow them to meet their great-grand-
  children.
  The Drained Land (Fantasy)
  In the midst of a dungeon crawl, the adventurers encounter
  six chronochaotic spiders. When the battle is over, they have
  traveled several decades into the future, and can easily leave
  the now-empty dungeon. Emerging from the dungeon, they
  discover magic has disappeared from the world! Spells no
  longer work, magic items are useless, and supernatural crea-
  tures have vanished.
  The time travelers soon discover a village of wizards who
  explain that a mana-draining storm devastated the world some
  years ago. The wizards want to return to the past to prevent
  this storm from forming. To help the wizards, the adventurers
  will need to revisit the dungeon and bring back a chronochaot-
  ic spider and its web. The spider and web will be used as the
  key components in a grand ritual allowing the wizards and
  heroes to return to their former timeline.
  Chronochaotic Spider
  ST 15; DX 14; IQ 3; HT 13.
  Will 13; Per 11; Speed 6.75; Dodge 9; Move 6.
  SM 0; 250lbs.
  Traits: Affliction 1(HT; Disadvantage, Bad Sight (Nearsighted);
  Cumulative (Duration); Extended Duration x30; Follow-Up,
  Fangs); Binding 15 (Melee Attack, C; Extended Duration,
  Semi-Permanent; Persistent; Takes Extra Time 2); Clinging;
  Combat Reflexes; Dark Vision; Extra Legs (Eight); Fangs;
  Horizontal; Jumper (Time; Affects Others; Area-Effect, 32
  yards; Cosmic, Can affect unwilling subjects; Unconscious
  Only; Uncontrollable); No Fine Manipulators; Subsonic
  Hearing; Wild Animal.
  Skills: Brawling-16.
  CREATURES OF THE NIGHT, VOL. 3
  4
  Variants
  The Uplifted Species
  The IQ of an uplifted chronochaotic spider is equal to
  4, +1 for every spider in the area. For example, if five 
  spiders are encountered, each one has IQ 9, as long as it
  remains near its fellows. Uplifted spiders speak to each
  other. They may set traps or post guards to deal with
  intruders. At the highest levels (IQ 15+), the spiders 
  can communicate using telepathy or spells. They under-
  stand their powers and find ways to control them for
  their own benefit.
  Nearly Harmless
  Instead of a giant arachnid, a chronochaotic spider is
  of normal size. Its venomous bite inflicts zero hits of
  injury, but can still impair vision. At this size, the crea-
  ture is likely to be considered a pest, and any “fight” will
  be brief, likely moving time no more than one day for-
  ward or back. However, if the spider is abused for an
  extended period of time, the abusers will be very sur-
  prised by what has happened.
  
  CREATURES OF THE NIGHT, VOL. 3
  5
  In the late 1960s, a secret project of the Russian space pro-
  gram accidentally created a super-intelligent cow. The animal
  was strapped into a pod at the end of a rocket and launched
  into orbit. But the spacecraft drifted out of radio range.
  Assumed lost, the pod whirled around the sun at increasing
  speeds, accelerating into a radical time-dilation. The bovine
  cosmonaut rapidly evolved, mutating through thousands of
  generations while only two decades passed on Earth.
  At the climax of this high-speed transformation, the cow
  achieved total awareness of its surroundings, enabling it to
  return home by directing the craft’s movement using telekine-
  sis. It secretly returned to Earth and lived among normal cat-
  tle. Through careful breeding, it spread its offspring across the
  planet.
  Now, in the first decade of the 21st century, the Cows from
  Space are ready for revenge! They have carefully-laid plans to
  take over the world and enslave humanity.
  The Cattle Conspiracy
  Fortunately, they are still cows, always postponing their
  plots in favor of a peaceful day chewing cud, releasing flatu-
  lence, and snoozing.
  The Space Cows concentrate their efforts on gathering
  information and conveying it to each other using their “Cow
  Tongue” gesture language. Any information they can find in
  the news, or through overheard conversations, is shared
  through complex ear wiggles, lip movements, and tail twirls.
  This knowledge is passed on until it reaches every Space Cow
  on Earth.
  To spread the word on other continents, the Space Cows
  secretly teleport, disappearing in the blink of an eye to reap-
  pear in a herd thousands of miles away. Very few humans
  have ever witnessed this.
  With their network established, the Space Cows will strike
  . . . very soon . . . any day now . . .
  Useful Skills for Encounters
  To notice some members of a herd are not quite right, use
  Animal Handling, Naturalist, or Observation. If the individu-
  als supplement their suspicions with research, Hidden Lore
  (Conspiracies) and Weird Science will come in handy. Anyone
  with History (Russian space program) will be able to uncover
  the origins of the Cattle Conspiracy with relative ease.
  The Space Cows’ reaction rolls when someone confronts
  them are modified by the Cows’ feelings of trust – individuals
  with Leatherworking are at a significant disadvantage, while
  vegetarians and dairy farmers get a bonus.
  Adventures
  The Cows from Space are useful in lightening the mood of
  a conspiracy campaign. They can serve as a recurring joke, or
  as the focus of an off-beat adventure. The Cows’ disposition
  varies; they may be hostile, dismissive, or possibly interested
  in alliances with selected humans. It is likely the humans
  won’t understand the cows – the combination of cosmic
  genius and epic procrastination may be too much for the
  mind of Homo sapiens to comprehend.
  To add flavor to an encounter, include any of the following
  elements: slaughterhouses, sacred cows in India, the beef
  industry, cow-tipping, cattle-worshipping cultists, legendary
  space program hoaxes, bull mythology, Mad Cow Disease,
  animal rivals (such as the Monkeys from Space), bullfighting,
  and the Great Chicago Fire.
  The Mutilators (Modern Day Conspiracy)
  As the Prime Cow was evolving in space, it battled a flying
  saucer. The crew of the saucer managed to limp home. Now
  the aliens are back to settle the score.
  The aliens are mutilating cattle all over North America.
  They leave the shredded bodies in the open so they will be
  found, sending panic through the Space Cow network.
  The heroes are independent investigators. While studying
  the mutilations, they meet one of the aliens. It warns them to
  stay out of the conflict. Of course, they don’t, and are forced
  to choose sides in this strange war.
  Got Ark? (Modern Day Conspiracy)
  The adventurers join up with the Sky Watchers, a small,
  nomadic group of conspiracy theorists, who visit sites of 
  They roam among us!
  Bos supremus
  The accelerated evolution of the original Space Cow
  brought its dormant psionic abilities to the surface. The
  creature developed a high level of self-awareness, with
  telekinetic and teleportation powers. However, due to
  the cramped environment of the space capsule, these
  powers were limited.
  The Prime Cow could only practice its telekinetic
  power by manipulating the pod. This limited its psion-
  ic ability to metal objects. Lacking a wide landscape to
  practice teleporting, it never learned to “warp” quickly
  and casually . . . it had to think carefully, and visualize
  its destination perfectly. These limitations were passed
  on to its offspring.
  The compressed evolution created a stronger body;
  Space Cows have a supernatural immune system, live
  for a very long time, and ignore the effects of poisons.
  Fortunately, they are still cows, always postponing their plots in favor of a
  peaceful day chewing cud, releasing flatulence, and snoozing.
  COWS FROM SPACE
  
  possible extraterrestrial activity all over North America. They
  share many stories about the Cattle Conspiracy with the
  adventurers. 
  While camping one night, the Sky Watchers receive a vision
  of a cow-shaped starship hovering over Devil’s Tower. They
  travel to Wyoming and learn that a bio-weapon terrorist scare
  has led to an evacuation of the Devil’s Tower area. But the
  landscape is full of cattle. 
  If they can sneak past the military perimeter (and stay out
  of sight of the black helicopters) the Sky Watchers will discov-
  er the cow-shaped spaceship at the foot of the diabolic mono-
  lith. 
  If the Sky Watchers are captured by the military, the leader
  of the Space Cows – the original bovine cosmonaut – inter-
  venes. The Prime Cow is pure white, with wise old eyes. After
  years of practice, it can extend its teleportation to affect other
  creatures. The Prime Cow transports the Sky Watchers onto
  the ship, where they can observe a line of Space Cow pairs
  slowly walking on board. 
  The grand old leader asks the investigators to perform a
  service. Any Space Cow left behind will seek the Sky Watchers.
  The group can then signal the Ark, so the Prime Cow can use
  its teleportation to rescue the missing Space Cow. If they
  accept, the Sky Watchers have this responsibility for the rest of
  the campaign.
  Cows from Space
  ST 22; DX 9; IQ 18; HT 15.
  Will 12; Per 18; Speed 6.00; Dodge 9; Move 6.
  SM +2; 1,500 lbs.
  Traits: Absent-Minded; Bad Sight (Nearsighted); Chummy;
  Colorblindness; Domesticated Animal (No Fixed IQ); DR 1
  (Skull only); Enhanced Move 1 (Ground Move 6/12);
  Hooves; Incurious (12); Immunity to Disease; Immunity to
  Poison; Languages (Cow Tongue, plus several human);
  Laziness; Longevity; Megalomania; Night Vision 4;
  Peripheral Vision; Phobia (Loud Noises) (12); Restricted
  Diet (Vegetarian); Quadruped; Secret (Genius-level animal
  hidden among dumb cattle); Telekinesis 20+ (Magnetic; No
  Signature); Ultrahearing; Warp (Cannot concentrate for less
  than 30 seconds; Limited Use, 1/day; Reliable 5); Weak Bite.
  Skills: Anthropology (Human)-16; Area Knowledge (Earth)-18;
  Astronomy/TL8-16; Current Affairs (Politics)-18; Current
  Affairs (Science & Technology)-18; Erotic Art-20*; Hidden
  Lore (The cattle conspiracy)-20; History (20th Century
  Europe)-17; History (20th Century Asia)-17; History (20th
  Century Americas)-17; Immovable Stance-15; Intelligence
  Analysis-19; Observation-18; Push-14.
  * Just kidding.
  CREATURES OF THE NIGHT, VOL. 3
  6
  
  The wollig is an amphibious animal the size of a full-grown
  dolphin. It has a stubby tail, two arms, a canine face, and a
  crest of spines.
  Wolligs travel in packs of 2d+2. They are strict vegetarians
  and will eat almost any plant life.
  Wolligs’ strong arms and fingers are matched by an inces-
  sant urge to pull things apart. They love to dismantle buoys,
  boats, docks, and bridge struts. If they can’t find something to
  take apart, they will move stones along the seabed or dig holes
  along the coastline.
  Sailors aware of wolligs call them “vandals of the sea.” They
  know the creatures will destroy their ship unless captured,
  killed, or distracted with food.
  Breeds and Pets
  There are two breeds of wollig: the tidal wollig, found along
  coastlines, and the sea wollig, found in the ocean. 
  The tidal wollig is slow and tough. It grazes like a manatee.
  Although it swims relatively slowly, its body is thick and
  strong. If a tidal wollig is hungry enough, it will crawl on land
  at night, looking for gardens or garbage cans filled with veg-
  etables.
  The sea wollig is sleek and fast, similar to a dolphin. It is
  slightly smarter than its coastal cousin, with enough courage
  to attack full-size ships . . . and sometimes enough curiosity (or
  is it compassion?) to nose some of the survivors to shore.
  Wolligs are kept as pets by mermaids and mermen. Any
  large group of merfolk is likely to have two or three wollig
  companions trained to fetch objects, perform tricks, and act as
  watchdogs.
  If a mermaid or merman transforms into a Sea Giant (see
  GURPS Creatures of the Night, Volume 2, p. 10), its wollig
  pets remain with their master in the new form. This gives the
  Sea Giant an assistant or two in building and guarding the sea-
  floor pattern.
  Useful Skills During Encounters
  Swimming, Boating, Survival (Island/Beach), and Survival
  (Open Ocean) are valuable. Reaction rolls can be made using
  Animal Handling (add +3 if the hero offers appropriate food to
  the wollig).
  CREATURES OF THE NIGHT, VOL. 3
  7
  Vandals of the sea.
  WOLLIG
  
  Adventures
  Wolligs can be encountered in the middle of the ocean, at
  the mouth of a river, or in coastal marshland. Tidal wolligs are
  usually a nuisance – they may knock over clotheslines as they
  search for food – while sea wolligs are an actual threat to ships
  at sea (especially smaller craft).
  In a fantasy world, wolligs could be a known part of the
  local ecology – no one who sees them is surprised. In a mod-
  ern world, they will inspire the same astounded disbelief as the
  sighting of a mermaid or sea serpent.
  Isabella’s Garden (Modern-Day Conspiracy)
  Isabella is a middle-aged woman with a huge garden in the
  yard of her coastal home. At least once a week, a pack of wol-
  ligs make a nighttime visit to the garden, to feast on cabbage,
  carrots, and other vegetables. Isabella sometimes feeds them
  by hand or sets out food for them.
  The heroes are conspiracy theorists living next door. One
  night, they discover the wolligs devouring Isabella’s garden.
  The creatures see them, grab a few vegetables, crawl to the
  water, and swim away. If asked, Isabella says she isn’t sure
  what the creatures are, but doesn’t mind them coming into her
  garden.
  The next night something strange happens. While the wol-
  ligs are feeding, Men in Black arrive. They attempt to stun the
  creatures and take them away.
  As the MIBs fight with the wolligs, Isabella comes out of the
  house, armed with shiny, alien-designed guns. She hands one
  gun to each hero and instructs them to shoot the MIBs. The
  MIBs are shocked, but manage to defend themselves. At
  Isabella’s command, the wolligs join in the attack on the MIBs.
  After the firefight (no matter who survives), the heroes
  learn Isabella is an ex-MIB. She was hiding out, zeroed from
  society, when the wolligs arrived and blew her cover. Creatures
  like wolligs are tracked by the Agency. The Agency’s surveil-
  lance of the wolligs – and the conspiracy-obsessed heroes – led
  the MIBs to her.
  If Isabella survived the fight, she feels embarrassed at let-
  ting her affection for the creatures lead to this. If she didn’t
  survive, the MIBs tell the heroes she was a wanted woman and
  traitor.
  At this point, any number of things can happen. The heroes
  could be recruited to work for the Agency. They could escape,
  hunted by the MIBs. If Isabella is alive, she could escape with
  them.
  No matter what happens, someone has to hide the mess
  before the local police and media arrive!
  Wollig, Tidal
  ST 19; DX 12; IQ 4; HT 15.
  Will 10; Per 12; Speed 6.75; Dodge 9; Move 1 (Land).
  SM +1; 900 lbs.
  Traits: Compulsive Behavior (Vandalism) (6); Discriminatory
  Smell; Doesn’t Breathe (Gills); No Legs (Semi-Aquatic;
  Water Move 6); Pressure Support 1; Quirk (Docile);
  Restricted Diet (Vegetarian); Subsonic Hearing (Underwater
  only); Vibration Sense (Water); Wild Animal.
  Skills: Brawling-13; Survival (Island/Beach)-15.
  Wollig, Sea
  ST 16; DX 13; IQ 5; HT 12.
  Will 10; Per 12; Speed 7.00; Dodge 10; Move 1 (Land).
  SM +1; 800 lbs.
  Traits: Compulsive Behavior (Vandalism) (6); Discriminatory
  Smell; Doesn’t Breathe (Gills); Enhanced Move 1 (Costs
  Fatigue, 1 FP; Water Move 7/14); No Legs (Semi-Aquatic;
  Water Move 7); Pressure Support 1; Quirk (Docile);
  Restricted Diet (Vegetarian); Subsonic Hearing (Underwater
  only); Vibration Sense (Water); Wild Animal.
  Skills: Brawling-15; Survival (Open Ocean)-14.
  CREATURES OF THE NIGHT, VOL. 3
  8
  Dangerous for a Day
  Four times a year, at the height of each season, wolligs
  become very aggressive. Like animals during mating sea-
  son, they become temperamental and protective. During
  this period – which lasts 24 hours – the wolligs tear apart
  any object they find and readily attack other creatures,
  even each other. They are also very hungry, and may be
  pacified with enough food.
  Wolligs’ strong arms and fingers are matched by an
  incessant urge to pull things apart. They love to dismantle
  buoys, boats, docks, and bridge struts. If they can’t find
  something to take apart, they will move stones along the
  seabed or dig holes along the coastline.
  
  Wandering through the woods is an old and peaceful spirit.
  The spirit is aware of everything within the forest and moves
  through it effortlessly, spending one moment lying within a
  brook, the next flowing into a tree several miles away. It keeps
  an eye on travelers within its home and listens to their conver-
  sations. If travelers comment on their desire to improve their
  skills and talents, the spirit may decide to take physical form
  and assist them.
  Loose leaves and branches fuse together, forming a
  humanoid shape colored every shade of green. Fresh berries, the
  size of acorns and the color of honey, are visible around its face
  and hands.
  The woodland oracle can see the future as a series of paths.
  When the student chooses a path, it leads to another set of choic-
  es spreading outward like a branch. As he travels along a partic-
  ular time-path, the distance from other possibilities increases.
  “For this reason,” the woodland oracle explains, “awareness of
  the correct path accelerates personal improvement.”
  Face to Face
  Travelers meeting the woodland oracle can strike up a con-
  versation. It will listen to their stories and offer trivial advice.
  Make a reaction roll, modified for the degree of respect the
  travelers show the oracle and the type of traits they seek to
  improve. The oracle prefers to guide students toward aware-
  ness, peaceful expertise, helping others, and knowledge in
  important fields. It will react poorly to students who only want
  to improve skills emphasizing conflict and destruction.
  On a Good or better result, the oracle will explain its phi-
  losophy and offer magical assistance to improve any skill. By
  eating one of its berries, the student
  feels a surge of strength in his heart and
  mind. This is an increase in the ability to
  concentrate, directing the student along
  the best path and dramatically reducing
  the amount of time spent training.
  The Path of Improvement
  In game terms, the berry makes
  improvement through study (p. B292)
  10 times as effective. For example,
  someone studying under a teacher can
  gain one point in a skill for just 20 hours
  of study instead of 200. This can be
  applied to any one skill, learnable
  advantage, or (with the GM’s permis-
  sion) attribute, as determined by the
  oracle when it gives the student the
  berry. The recipient will intuitively
  know what the trait in question is.
  Only Self-Teaching (40 instead of 400 hours per point) and
  Education (20 instead of 200 hours per point) benefit from
  this focus. The intensity of the studying is already greater than
  Intensive Training, and the focus required precludes Learning
  on the Job and Adventuring. Note that the oracle will never
  tutor the student directly – its guidance is always indirect.
  Each berry allows the student to gain one point from train-
  ing. The student must train for the full amount of time, all in
  one sitting, immediately after eating the
  berry. For example, a student with a
  teacher must train 20 hours in a row,
  while a self-taught student must train 40
  hours in a row. Keep track of the student’s
  sleep cycle and lost FP (p. B427).
  The Less Sleep advantage will be
  very useful.
  The intense concentration
  involved requires a Will roll at
  the end of every four hours of
  study, at a penalty equal to any
  lost FP (due to sleep or other-
  wise). Single-Minded adds its
  normal bonus. If a Will roll fails,
  the student makes a second roll
  immediately – at an extra -3 – to snap
  back to attention. If this second roll
  fails, his concentration is broken and
  the time has been wasted.
  A plant elemental that guides a
  student’s personal development.
  Example: 
  Summer Scholar
  Astrid Meadows, a university student planning to
  spend her summer studying the world of the supernatu-
  ral, meets a woodland oracle in the forest behind her 
  dormitory. After an enlightening introduction and the
  consumption of a berry, she persuades the university’s
  librarian to tutor her into the night.
  Astrid’s been awake for six hours and has full FP. Four
  hours into the training, she makes a Will roll. Eight hours
  in, she makes another Will roll. At 12 hours, she has been
  awake for 18 hours and has lost 1 FP, so she makes a
  Will-1 roll. At 16 hours, she has lost another FP, makes a
  Will-2 roll, and fails! Astrid must make an immediate
  Will-5 roll to keep focused, and does so. At the end of the
  training (20 hours), she has lost yet another FP, but suc-
  ceeds at her Will-3 roll. She gains one point in Occultism,
  learning it at IQ-1.
  Astrid spends the rest of her summer on this path –
  conversing with the oracle, consuming berries, and
  studying with her librarian mentor. By autumn, her
  Occultism skill is at an expert level, and the oracle has
  disappeared.
  WOODLAND ORACLE
  CREATURES OF THE NIGHT, VOL. 3
  9
  
  If the student succeeds at all required Will rolls, he gains
  one point in the trait being studied. He can begin training
  again when his FP is at full strength.
  Note that “continuous” training does not mean nonstop
  movement or study – the student is allowed to pace himself and
  take brief breaks. For example, if he is trying to improve his ST
  level, he can lift weights, take some time to stretch and eat, and
  resume lifting. Intensity is crucial, but intensity comes from
  mental discipline, not overexertion.
  Player Students in Training
  Students can train together if they are all working on the
  same trait. This helps keep them involved in the same storyline.
  Students may want to train up their Will specifically to dou-
  ble the effect – each Will improvement makes it easier to make
  study rolls! While this is legal, the GM should keep an eye out
  for abuse. The oracle is not obliged to give out “Willpower train-
  ing” berries, no matter how nicely students ask.
  For teachers and other resources, the training rules still
  apply – this is for formal, intensive training, not natural gains
  from adventuring use.
  Missions and Tasks
  As students make use of the woodland oracle’s guidance, it
  may that ask a task be performed before giving out an addi-
  tional berry. This is not an exchange or barter – it is a way for
  the oracle to see which path the students have chosen, and how
  far along it they have walked. As the benefits of the berries
  increase, the GM can make these tasks more difficult, taking
  longer periods of time. 
  The tasks can be divided into four types:
  Physical Labor. The students have to perform “janitorial”
  work in the forest, such as clearing out trees or planting seeds.
  The work is harmless and dull. Impulsive or Selfish students
  may have to make self-control rolls.
  Journey. The students must contact a druid on the other side
  of the forest, transport a seed and plant it far away, or gather
  information from the local town for the oracle. The task
  requires at least two days of travel. It could be safe and simple.
  Protection. The woodland oracle needs the students to stop
  crop-sprayers from defoliating the nearby fields, prevent an
  army from marching down the forest road, or other protective
  task. This is always complex and dangerous.
  Quest or Great Task. Raising the students’ traits to super-
  human levels calls for epic adventures! The students are sent to
  bring peace to warring tribes, save a village in peril, slay a drag-
  on, monkey-wrench a lumber mill, etc.
  Adventures and Encounters
  The woodland oracle appears because it wants to – it can
  disappear at any time and never come back. Students must
  treat it with respect. Demands or threats will not accomplish
  anything.
  The oracle could be introduced at the end of an adventure,
  allowing the students to enter a training period with the oracle
  in the background. Or, they might seek out the oracle to request
  its assistance.
  In addition to the normal traits, the GM may allow students
  to improve or add spells, psionic powers, or perks, and to
  reduce (or eliminate) disadvantages.
  The woodland oracle is not a fighter. If threatened, it simply
  flows back into the forest, its body returning to a mundane col-
  lection of leaves and branches. If successfully attacked, the ora-
  cle falls over. Its eyes go blank, and it is gone. The oracle’s life
  force will return in a different place at a different time.
  Leo Zero (Modern Day Conspiracy)
  Leopold Zedd studied the Conspiracy for years. He almost
  gave up when his twin sister disappeared. Then he met a wood-
  land oracle. It offered to help him learn the deepest, darkest
  secrets of the world. Leo ate the first berry, studied, and came
  back for more.
  When the students meet Leo, he is Illuminated. He is also
  cosmically Zeroed – the Conspiracy doesn’t know he exists. The
  students can use Leo as their source of information as they bat-
  tle the secret alliances, the Greys, and the Men in Black.
  After the students’ first adventure, Leo disappears. But he
  sends cryptic messages with alarming regularity – through the
  internet, by mail, and other means. Leo tells the students he
  thinks his sister is alive. He directs them to the woodland ora-
  cle. They meet the oracle, and it offers to help them learn, just
  as it helped Leo.
  The next phase of the adventure is a combination of intense
  study and cat-and-mouse chases. Leo guides the students using
  his secret messages. The Conspiracy tries to prevent them from
  learning, but they can evade their foes if they are lucky and
  smart.
  By the time they are done, the students have enough clues to
  find Leo and solve the mystery of his missing sister.
  Breakout (Near Future)
  A group of political prisoners, victims of a corrupt regime,
  encounters a woodland oracle while working in the orchards of
  the New Alcatraz prison farm. They want to escape, of course,
  and the spirit is willing to use its powers to help. A few good
  Reaction rolls lead the captives to fellow prisoners willing to
  teach Lockpicking, Holdout, and other skills they may need.
  The escape will also be physically challenging; the party mem-
  bers will have to train and exercise to build Hiking and similar
  skills, and possibly even Acrobatics. Thanks to the oracle’s
  berries, they will learn very quickly.
  CREATURES OF THE NIGHT, VOL. 3
  10
  Alternatives
  The procedure to gain the training bonus is strict –
  one berry at a time, after a face-to-face meeting with the
  oracle. The GM can alter this to suit the student and
  campaign.
  One option is to have the student search for the berry.
  The oracle sends the student to the other side of the 
  forest, giving clues to locate a bush of berries. They 
  glow when he arrives. The student eats one, and then
  trains.
  Alternately, the student is allowed to gather a handful
  of berries, consuming one before each training period.
  Once he has eaten them all, the student can search for
  the oracle and find more. This allows the student to train
  quickly and easily. In some campaigns, this is preferable
  to a long-term training subplot.
  The oracle could offer something other than a berry –
  a nut, leaf, seed, etc. If the oracle offers an inedible item,
  such as a small stone, the student is required to carry it
  throughout the training rather than swallow it.
  
  As they improve their skills and learn new ones, they must
  deal with the guards, and perhaps with predators among the
  prison population. Bribes, coercion, and tricks are all useful.
  They may even meet a sympathizer among the guards . . . or is
  it a trick?
  After the breakout, the campaign might continue as 
  the escapees, now fugitives, become the core of a resistance
  movement.
  A map of the prison – search online for a variety of suitable
  maps – will help the GM once the prisoners are ready to make
  their escape attempt. Don’t forget to add the orchard where
  they meet the oracle.
  Woodland Oracle
  ST 8; DX 8; IQ 18; HT 16.
  Will 16; Per 16; Speed 5.00; Dodge 8; Move 5.
  SM 0; 80lbs.
  Traits: Animal Empathy; Dead Broke; Dependency (Sunlight,
  fresh soil, fresh water; Daily); Doesn’t Breathe (Oxygen
  Absorption); Doesn’t Eat or Drink; Doesn’t Sleep; Empathy;
  Injury Tolerance (Homogenous; No Blood); Intuition;
  Invertebrate; Pacifism (Total Nonviolence); Permeation
  (Woodlands; Meld 2); Responsive; Speak with Plants;
  Unaging; Unkillable 3 (“Death” triggered by any damage);
  Unusual Background (Access to secret woodland berries).
  Skills: Detect Lies-20; Diplomacy-18; Hidden Lore (Forest
  Lore)-25; Naturalist-18; Psychology-19.
  CREATURES OF THE NIGHT, VOL. 3
  11
  STEVE JACKSON GAMES
  STEVE JACKSON GAMES
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SOURCE: textdata/thevault/GURPS [multi]/4th edition/GURPS 4e - Creatures of the Night, Vol 3 (oef).pdf