Naught
[comments:(1), views:(4728), rating:(7.0)]

Author: Urlorde
Homepage: http://
System: Palladium
Type: NPC
Category: Fantasy
Requirements:

During a routine egg transferal Naught's egg was dropped and cracked. Naught survived, but not without cost. He was born a Gargoyle-Lord and would therefore be tougher and stronger than most of his brethren anyway. As it turned out, he grew up stronger even than his Lordly peers. This alone should have enabled him to rise to the top in a society that praised strength over almost everything else, however, he did have one gigantic flaw. By Gargoyle-Lord standards he was intellectually damaged from his cracked egg! If it didn't have to do with violence of killing, Naught was pretty much hopeless on the subject. Violent subjects, on the other hand, seemed to be instantly memorized. His skill with his claws or weapons was unparallel.

Gargoyle society quickly put his "talents" to good use by training him in the way of Gargoyle Assassins. If his teachers could find a way to link a subject with violence, Naught could learn it. His lack of brains and special treatment brought about unswerving loyalty, while his strength and speed brought doom to his masters' enemies. This way of life continued for many years and Naught's skill grew ever more powerful. Eventually, his masters grew to be too confidant in his killing abilities and sent him to kill an actual Demon Lord of Hades! Naught, though very skilled, predictably failed in his mission. Even a powerful Gargoyle is weaker than a weak Demon Lord! Naught was tortured and abused and eventually ended up in a magical experiment of the Demon Lord's. When the experiment was set in motion, Naught disappeared in a flash of light and was quickly forgotten by both the Lord and his former masters. Experimental subjects and killer henchmen are easy to come by in the infernal realm of Hades!

When Naught awoke, he was changed. At first he was confused, not that uncommon for him. Then he came to two conclusions, which was very rare for him. One, he had been teleported to another world, for this was certainly not Hades! Second, he had become more intelligent! 20

Naught forgot nothing of his old life or skills, and indeed could see all his attributes through a new perspective. This is when Naught became angry! In Gargoyle society it ia might that makes right and Naught was certainly among the mightiest, but Naught was not at the top despite being a Gargoyle-Lord. His lack of I.Q. was thoroughly exploited by the other Lords and he was made into a slave and ill-used despite his loyalty! On a whim and not a whit of care for him, his Lord, whom he had served faithfully for many years, had sent him on a mission with a near 100% probability of death. To Naught, this was tantamount to murder!

Was he not the biggest and the strongest? Where was his piece of the ruling pie? If this system had failed him in such a spectacular manner, then was not the entire Gargoyle societal system wrong?

Naught's answer to this self-question was a resounding yes! If most everything he was taught to believe was wrong, then what was the right way? Furthermore, all he knew how to do was to stalk and kill. It's kind of hard to leave everything behind when your skills no longer match you beliefs!

In a previously uncharacteristic flash of insight, Naught decided what to do. He would use his skills to eliminate those of this world that would spread a system like his old one! He would become the Killer of Killers and those who would manipulate them for their own evil ends!

Thus Naught became a most unusual Gargoyle. He became a stalker of evil. He became the Paladin of those who could not help themselves under the claw of another. Most of all, and this really fires him up the most, he is like a Saint to those who are of the mentally inefficient, as he likes to call them. Suffering comes on swift wings when Naught finds someone mentally inefficient being used and/or abused by someone more gifted of thought! He is quick in dealing out his perceived justice under these circumstances and may use the abusers method of abuse against the abuser, though he may simply "lose it" and outright slay the being.

Seemingly doomed forever to walk his new world, he has become something of a living legend in his past decade of wandering among the common folk. He is their Redeemer and Protector and their Vengeful Dark Angel. His reputation of killing the guilty has led those who have reason, to retreat rather than fight this frightful juggernaught, and has caused many a leader to send kill-squads after the Slayer.

To those of the proper temperament, he is a gruff but charismatic enigma and their ray of light in their world of perpetual darkness. They know him by name and the "mentally inefficient" feel an instinctive liking toward him.

Those who know him also know never to bring up the subject of Demons or Gargoyles to him unless or want a five hour tirade to kill your time with. The only time that he would not attack them on sight is when others are endangered or if he thinks he can kill more of them by thinking it through properly.

GM hints: Naught can be used in a variety of ways. Evil ones under disguise could hire the heroes to destroy the Winged Menace. Good folks could appeal to them to help their savior if Naught becomes too overmatched. Funny enough, he could conceivably go after the PC's if they themselves tend toward an evil bent, or if he is tricked into it. In any case, if he cannot outright attack something, he will use smart hit-and-run tactics. Play on!

NAME:  NAUGHT          O.C.C.:  GARGOYLE LORD
I.Q.:  15                        LEVEL:  14
M.E.:  19                      A.P.M.:  6
M.A.:  20                      STRIKE:  +9
P.S.:  42                       PARRY:  +9       HT:  18'
P.P.:  29                       DODGE:  +9(13 FLY)  WT: 2000LB
P.E.: 30                        RWP:  +3           A.R.:  14
P.B.:  12                       PULL P.:  +3      H.F.:  16
SPD.:  22                      DMG:  +25         VS HF:  +10
FLY:  90                        INIT:  +3            VS PSI:  +5
S.D.C.:  120                   VS MAGIC:  +11 VS PSN:  +11
H.P.:  90                        TRUST/INTIMIDATE:  60%
REST PNCH:  2D6
FULL PNCH:  1D6*10+25+2D4       LIFT:  4000 LBS.
PWR PNCH:  2D6*10+25(2 ATT)    CARRY:  2000 LBS.
TAIL SWAT:   1D6*10+25               THW CARRY WT:  40'
BITE DMG.:    6D6

SKILLS: CLIMB, CONCEALMENT-DETECT CONCEALMENT/TRAPS, MATH:BASIC, PICK LOCKS, PROWL, TRACK HUMANOIDS, SPEAK ELVEN, SPEAK DWARVEN, W.P. SWORD, W.P. PAIRED, W.P. BLUNT, SURVEILLANCE, INTERROGATION, INTELLIGENCE, DETECT AMBUSH, LOCATE SECRET COMPARTMENTS AND DOORS, LORE: DEMONS AND MONSTERS, SWIMMING, LAND NAVIGATION, WRESTLING

NATURAL ABILITIES: NIGHTVISION 200', SEE THE INVISIBLE, TURN INVISIBLE, FIRE BREATH 1/MELEE, 40' RNG, 4D6 DMG., TELEPORT 2400' 2/DAY 98%, DIMENSIONAL TELEPORT UNFUNCTIONABLE!!, REGENERATE 4D6/MELEE, TURN TO STONE 3/DAY, 6HRS, +200 SDC, FLY 1/2 SPD

PSIONICS: MEDITATION, MIND BLOCK, PRESENCE SENSE, TELEPATHY, RESIST HUNGER, RESIST FATIGUE, RESIST THIRST. I.S.P.: 60

NOTES: Naught has no knowledge of magic and has no desire to learn. As he is a supernatural creature he has no need for magical weapons and generally will give excess equipment and items to those in need. Excess in this case means everything except for food.