Victorian OSR: A bit of 19th Century Medicine

Our newest Victorian game is in full swing and I decided to flesh out a bit of the horror that is Victorian medicine for unsuspecting player's or to inflict on their beloved NPC allies.
We'll be testing these out as we go along..... (the poison section I have done for a while.)

Anesthetics
The Physician administers the drug and rolls a Diagnosis check with a +4 bonus. The dose takes effect in 1d4 rounds. Each round after the effect hits the patient must make a Constitution check with a cumulative -1 penalty until he fails. He is then unconscious for thirty plus 2d6 minutes. . If the Diagnosis check was failed too much was administered and the patient loses 1d6 hit points due to anesthetic shock.

Once the time of unconsciousness is nearly up the Physician can administered another dose if necessary. The Physician administers the drug and rolls another  Diagnosis check with a +2 bonus. If successful the patient is unconscious for another for thirty plus 2d6 minutes. If the check is failed too much was administered and the patient loses 1d6 hit points due to anesthetic shock. If a natural 20 is rolled on this second or subsequent dosages the patient has a severe reaction and drops to 0 hit points, losing 1d4 per round until a Physician makes a Stabilization check (with appropriate penalties.)

Amputation

The actual removal of an appendage or limb takes 1d6 rounds. The damage done is 1d4 for a hand, foot, or other part such as a large piece of flesh, genitals, etc. Removal of an arm or leg does 1d6 damage.

During the amputation the patient must make a Constitution check or lose half of his current hit points due to shock. This check is made with a +2 bonus if the patient is anesthetized. A finger or toe will cost one hit point but does not require healing rolls to stop bleeding and seal the wound. Infection may set into such an amputation though.

The second step in the surgery is to control the bleeding and hopefully sew up the wound. The patient suffers one hit point loss a round due to blood loss until the Physician makes a successful Healing check (or untrained for non-Physicians). This Healng check does not heal 1d6 hit points as a normal one would; this one instead stops the bleeding and further hit point loss from the actual amputation, nothing  more.

Finally, with the bleeding under control, the Physician (or amateur surgeon) makes another Healing check to close the wound. Again this is not to heal hit points but instead to seal the wound which will be important to stop infection. In fact, in some emergency or complicated situations, the wound may have to be left open and risk infection,

Thus ends the surgery and those in care of the patient can now 'bind wounds' for 1d4 hit points as they treat shock, give meds/whisky, etc.

Now we must check for infection.
The chance for infection is as follows:

• 5% per hp lost during the procedure (actual amputation and blood loss, do not count binding wounds healng)
• 2% per round taken to stop bleeding and close the wound. If the wound is not closed only count the bleeding.
• +25% if wound only wrapped, not sewn shut
• +25% non-sterile operation
• x1/2 for a sterile operation

Example:
1. A patient loses a leg doing 4 points of damage. He bleeds for 3 rounds at one hit point per round for a total of 7 hit points x 5% = 35% base.
2. It took 3 rounds to stop the bleeding and 1 round to sew the wound closed for a total of 4 rounds x 2%= 8%. Our total is now 43%.
3. If the operation was non-sterile, perhaps in a civil war tent, we would add +25% for a 68% chance of infection. IF it was in a sterile operating theature we would divide the 43% by 2 (round up) for a 22% chance of infection.

If an infection is present roll a 1d6. One a 1-3 it is a minor infection. On a 4-6 it is a major infection.

Minor Infection
Patient must make a Constitution check each day. If he fails he will heal no hit points that day. If a natural 1 is rolled it turns into a major infection. If the Constituation check is healed two days in a row the infection passes. If on antibiotics or other relevant medication the patient receives a +2 bonus to the Con roll.

Major Infection
Patient must make a Constitution check each day or he will heal no hit points and lose 1d3 Constitution that day. If successful he regains 1d3 Con points and heals normal hit points that day.
If on antibiotics or other relevant medication the patient receives a +2 bonus to the Con roll.

Healing from the Amputation
The minimum time for total healing is four weeks.
At the start of the fifth week  the patient must make a Constitution check with a +4 bonus if on relevant medication. If the Constitution check is failed the patient loses that week and it will take another week and another check to see if he is finally healed. If the Con check is failed by 5 points the patient has contracted a minor infection. If failed by 10 or more he has contracted a major infection. Infections must be dealt with as above.

When finally healed the patient is ready for normal activity with a prosthesis.

• With the loss of a hand/arm the patient can use his prosthesis to hold an object but can do nothing complicated such as firing a bow or pulling a trigger. A hook is also a viable replacement.
• With the loss of a foot the patient can move normally with a prosthesis. With the loss of a leg the character's movement with a prosthesis is 90'/30' instead of 120'/40'.

Poisons

Strength of the poison is rated in Xd6 in damage. After entering the system the victim rolls a Saving Throw (with penalties if an especially virulent poison) and takes 1d6 damage. The remaining d6's in damage are taken 1d6 at a time after a set amount of time (one round, minute, hour, etc.) With each time increment 1d6 damage is rolled. This continues until there are no more available damage dice and the poison has run its course. If the Saving Throw was made upon the initial exposure all damage taken is halved. If an antidote is introduced it stops all future damage from occurring. 

Classic/OSR: Lugosi's Dracula (universal films) for Halloween

"The spider spinning his web for the unwary fly.  The blood is the life, Mr. Renfield."
- Count Dracula
Dracula (1931)

My favorite time of year is approaching again: Halloween. Thus I begin with the Halloween inspired posting again. I truly enjoy this time of year and horror/nostalgia gaming.

To complement the Universal Pictures Frankenstein here is the immortal Bela Lugosi's Dracula.
Or at least my interpretation of him. Re-watching the film (along with The Return of the Vampire and Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein) I tried to come up with a list of abilities seen or implied in the films. The Universal Dracula is not as powerful as the literary Dracula and later film versions, but he is the snazzy one and left a massive imprint on the world.

Count Dracula (Universal Films)
HD: 8
HP: 50
AC: 6/13
Save:  F8/10
Attack: +8
Damage: Unarmed or Bite (1d4)

Dracula is a vampire, an undead abomination posing as a human being that requires the blood of the living to continue to exist. Dracula can be quite charming but the facade will be quickly dropped when he is challenged or his plans are threatened. He is quite pale with a striking accent and has an affection for dressing in formal attire and opera cape.

As an undead creature he is immune to damage from ordinary weapons. He only takes damage from fire, holy items, magic, sunlight, or a wooden stake to his heart (-6 to hit, see destruction below.) Dracula does not eat, drink, sleep, or breathe and  his undead body does not tire and does not require rest after prolonged exercise. Dracula is stronger than an ordinary man, doing 1d4 points of damage when he strikes a foe. He also gains a natural +2 to armor class due to his condition and can see perfectly in the dark out to 60 feet. Dracula can also climb walls as per the Spider Climb spell.

Dracula must drink the blood of the living and his bite drains 1d4 hit hit points of blood. He requires 4 hp of fresh blood nightly or he will lose one point of Constitution and appears to age 1d10 years on these nights. The Con loss and aging can be healed by consuming the normal nightly required 4 hps of blood and consuming an additional 4 points per Constitution point lost.  Dracula can also heal lost hit points this way. Once his nightly requirement of 4 hp is consumed he can continue to drink blood regaining 1 hp per 2 hp of blood consumed. If his Constitution was damaged he must heal the Con damage before healing hit point damage. Those drained to 0 hit points by the vampire will die unless medical treatment is received. Those who die rise as a vampire at sundown three days after.

Dracula can change into the forms of a bat, mist, or wolf. The change takes one full round. (see below for stats.) He can also summon a swarm of rats,  a swarm of bats, and  individual or packs of dogs or wolves to do his bidding. He can only summon one type of animal at a time. The range of this summoning is 1000 yards and, if available, will arrive within 1d6 rounds or longer as DM decides.

One of the vampire's most insidious powers of that of hypnotism. The effect is as if  a Charm Person or Sleep spell had been cast and functions as such in all ways including duration. The victim does receive a Saving Throw to avoid the effect. The  Save is at a 4 penalty  if the victim has previously been drained of blood by Dracula.

Dracula also has a number of weaknesses.
He must rest on a bed of earth from his native soil. If he does not he takes one point of Constitution damage per night. This Constitution loss can be stopped when he rests again on the soil. The Con lost can be healed by extra consumption of blood as detailed above.

The vampire is repulsed by the sight of holy items such as crosses and bibles. When presented with these Dracula cannot approach within  10' of the wielder of the object and contact with such an object does 1d6 damage. Exposure to direct sunlight also causes 1d6 damage as does total immersion in running water.

Dracula cannot enter a private dwelling without an invitation from a person who lives or is staying at the dwelling. This invitation can be gained via hypnotism or other trickery. Even if invited when garlic is placed at a portal he must make a Saving Throw with a 4 penalty to enter.

There are a few ways to destroy Dracula.
Loss of all hit points via exposure to sunlight will burn him to ashes.
A wooden stake to his heart will do 1d6 damage and paralyze him if he fails a Saving Throw. This automatically paralyzes him if he is resting in his coffin in the daytime. Once he is staked his head can be chopped off or the body burned for his destruction. If no action is taken after the stake has paralyzed him he enters a state resembling death and will remain so until the stake is removed. He will awaken with 1 hit point.

Alternate Forms
Batform
Strength drops to 1. All others stay the same.
All of Dracula's abilities and weaknesses remain except he cannot use hypnotism and his only attack is a 1d2 bite. Flight is gained at 180'/60'.

Mistform
Turning into a mist or fog he cannot use special abilities in this form.
The only damage that affects this form is fire, holy, and sunlight. All others are ignored. Dracula can move at a rate of 150'/50' in this form and can flow up walls, through keyholes, under doors, etc.

Wolf-form
All stats remain the same.
All vampire abilities and weaknesses remain except he cannot use hypnotism.
Move is 150'/50'. Bite is now 1d6 damage.

Baron Von Frankenstein. Hammer Horror for Classic and OSR Games

The Hammer film studio's series of Frankenstein films (1957-1974) offer interesting settings, characters, and plot devices which can be added to RPG's for a bit of Gothic atmosphere and charm with old castles, bubbling laboratories and an interesting and complex villain or perhaps employer in the Baron Von Frankenstein. Opposing or aiding Frankenstein in his work can lead to a horrifyingly fun story arc especially when the inevitable creature meltdown happens and all the work goes down the tubes, often in a spectacular flaming fashion.

Initially set in mid-Victorian Switzerland the films ooze Gothic atmosphere with detailed sets, costumes and plenty colorful makeup and gore in glorious, vivid Technicolor. Blood flows bright red in these films and the brains and severed limbs are up front and camera ready. As for the doctor himself, unlike the manic and deranged Universal Frankenstein, brilliantly played by Colin Clive, Peter Cushing's Baron is cold, clinical, and obsessed without becoming a caricature; the Baron is a complex character. Cushing is amazing in this role. He dominates the screen with his presence.
⦁ The Curse of Frankenstein (1957)
⦁ The Revenge of Frankenstein (1958)
⦁ The Evil of Frankenstein (1964)
⦁ Frankenstein Created Woman (1967)
⦁ Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed (1969)
⦁ Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell (1974)
⦁ The Horror of Frankenstein (1970, non-Cushing)

A few common themes in the series:
⦁ Old world fear vs science and progression. The villagers and authorities do not understand Frankenstein's goals or methods and turn on him when his activities are discovered. Frankenstein is forced to steal bodies and parts at great risk.
⦁ Eager and young assistants who share most of his ideals and want to learn from Frankenstein. They tend not to be hunchbacked criminals or outcasts as in the Universal films.
⦁ Each movie shows the Baron creating a new creature for the film. The type and quality of creation varies from film to film. Often the brain is a key plot point, that most delicate and fragile of organs. With limited resources and having to creep around looking for spare part Frankenstein is often forced to use 'less desirable' material. Instability, criminality, and sometimes just plain damaged brains are used to the advancement of the plot and eventual downfall of the doctor's work. In the Reenge of Frankenstein the Baron has created a backup body for himself and his brilliant assistant transplants his brain into this new body when his original is battered to death. The DM has a very open canvas of plot devices and twists in this setting.

As for details of each movie and the finer points of production THIS article can elaborate more on those matters which are beyond the scope of this post.

Baron Victor Von Frankenstein, infamous medical adventurer
"Why can't they leave me alone? Why can't they ever leave me alone?"
- Baron Von Frankenstein
Evil of Frankenstein (1964)
HD: 5
HP: 27
AC: 10/9
Hit: +3/ as Cleric
Save: 11/ Cleric
Born of an aristocratic and wealthy family Baron Victor Frankenstein is educated, cultered, and supremely arrogant. He is also a daring man and not adverse to taking risks or physical violence to protect his work. He is also a medical genius with an obsession of restoring or creating life. This obsession brings out the worst qualities in Frankenstein including cruelty, blind ambition, and even murder to obtain the materials for his experiments and to keep his secrets. His drive has led to amazing discoveries such as preservation of dead tissue, organ and even brain transplants, and the ultimate achievement of restoring life to the dead. His arrogance and paranoia however keep him from revealing his discoveries to the world until he has perfectly perfected restoring life to the dead. This has led to much misery and the Baron himself has been gravely wounded more than once and forced into a life of hiding as a wanted man. Still his work continues....

When running Baron Frankenstein play him as arrogant and powerfully willed. He will do as he thinks necessary for the continuation of his experiments. In the later films he seemed to mellow a bit and showed loyalty to his assistants but his WORK will usually come before other considerations, including his own bodily well being.

Abilities
Anatomy
Frankenstein can use his knowledge of anatomy to target key damage points on the body allowig him to Backstab as a Thief of equal level.

Diagnose
Frankenstein can make a  check (18 or less on a d20) to diagnose the illness of a patient, giving him information on proper treatment of the illness and a on any further checks with that patient.

A successful check gives Frankenstein a +1 hp per Healing dice below and a +2 bonus on Stabilization check below.
checks.

Healing
Frankenstein may attempt to  heal 1d6 hit points of damage to himself or another. The healing attempt must be rolled each time it is used (18 or less on a d20,)  He or another Physician can attempt the healing check until successful but each subsequent check has a cumulative 2 penalty to the roll. If assisted by another Physician the check has a 2 bonus.

No attempt at healing by Frankenstein or a collegue of his skill or lower will give more hit points to those sets of wounds. If another Physician of greater skill comes along he can attempt to heal the wound again. If he succeeds on the healing check he will roll the 1d6 and compare it to the original roll. If it is greater the extra hit points are gained (not added, the new better 1d6 roll replaces the original 1d6 hit point roll.) If he rolls less it is ignored and the original Physician's healing stands as is. The only way the patient will lose hit points this way is if the New Physician rolls a natural 20 failure on the healng check.

If a character is wounded again Frankenstein can attempt to heal the new set of wounds, but no matter how good his healng roll, he will not heal the patient of more hit points than were lost in the new set of wounds.

For example: Ygor has lost ten hit points in a fight. Frankenstein makes a successful healng check and rolls to heal five hit points. He nor another Physician can attempt to heal more of these lost hit points from this set of wounds. Later Ygor is damaged again for three more points of damage. Frankenstein makes his healing check and can heal these three points of damage if he rolls well enough, but no more as he cannot attempt to heal the previous wound's lost hit points a second time.

This healing can be used for not only combat damage, but also disease, poison, and any other type of damage which takes away hit points.

If a successful Diagnosis check is made before the healing check a +1 bonus to hit points healed is gained.

A patient under a Frankenstein's direct care also heals twice the number of hp per day with natural healing.

Surgery
As a doctor Frankenstein can try to control bleeding, rub the limbs, apply brandy, breathe into their mouth, etc and stabilize any character that has reached 0 or fewer hits points, and would otherwise be dead. Frankenstein must reach the victim within five rounds following the victims incapacitation, beginning on the round after he drops to 0 or below. Once he has reached the patient, he must then make a check (18 or less on a d20)  with a  -1 penalty for every hit point below 0. If he fails the patient continues to lose one hp per round until he is dead at -10.

If he succeeds in this, the character is stabilized and does not die. If the victim is wounded again, another attempt can be made but with an additional -4 penalty in addition to normal bonuses and penalties, representing the shock of additional wounds to the body.

Equipment
Doctor's Bag (+1 to Diagnose and Surgery checks)
Pistol (1d8), Scalpel (1d3), Amputation Knife (1d6)

Creating Life from the Dead
Frankenstein has almost perfected a method for restoring life to corpses. He requires a laboratory, chemicals, complex machinery of his own design and corpses to work on. He prefers fresh undamaged bodies but can replace body parts or even assemble a corpse from parts if necessary. The condition of the brain is often a major plot point and pivotal to the creature's behavior.

The appearance of the creatures varied greatly based on the condition of available corpses, possible time limitations, and Frankenstein's growing skill and adjusted methods. They can be average, hideous, or painfully beautiful. The more normal looking ones will have traces of scars and stitching at vital areas which will fade with time. The more hideous ones will be a collection of horrid flesh, stitches, braces, etc.

Intelligence
The creatures' Intelligence's varied greatly. They could be geniuses or murderous idiots. A few may start out as highly intelligent and slowly revert towards madness and chaos. If they do remember their former lives before resurrection Frankenstein tended to only have criminal or deranged and damaged brains to work with. Their brains, already traumatized by death and rebirth, will usually exhibit unusual mental quirks, often degenerating into psychotic and murderous behavior.

To simulate the different creatures produced in the film pick a HD for the creature and then choose a few of the quirks below. Or choose none. The Baron's work varies greatly and they are but a plot device after all.

The Creatures
HD 4
Hp 20
AC 12
Hit +4, 1d4 unarmed
Save 14

HD 6
Hp  30
AC 13
Hit +6, 1d6 unarmed
Save 13

HD 8
Hp  40
AC 14
Hit +8, 1d8 unarmed
Save 12

Quirks
Fear of Fire
The creature has an instinctive fear of fire. If confronted with any fire torch-sized or larger it must make a Saving Throw (Paralyzation) or be unable to melee attack the person wielding the fire.

Hideous
The creature is a horrifying sight of dead flesh, stitches and staples, etc. Those who clearly see the creature must make a Saving Throw (Paralyzation)  or suffer a -2 to all actions against it.  If they fail the Saving Throw by more than five they will likey flee in terror.

Inhuman Beauty
The creature is beautiful. Other than a few faint scars it is almost inhumanly so. The creature can, once per day, try to use its beauty to sway another to do its bidding. It can do this once per day at HD 4, twice per day at HD 6, and three time per day at HD 8. It acts as a Charm Person spell and a Saving Throw is allowed against it.

Mute
The creature has damaged or otherwise deficient vocal organs. It cannot utter more than a few groans or perhaps a dull roar when angered.

Strangle
If the creature hits with an unarmed attack and exceeds the target AC by five or more points it automatically begins strangling the target for automatic damage each round. The victim must make a Strength check with a - penalty equal to half of the creature's HD to break free. While strangling the creature is vulnerable to attacks from its victim's allies who gain a +2 bonus to hit it.

The Abominable Dr. Phibes. A Cult Classic Fiend for Classic and OSR Games

The Abominable Dr. Phibes is a cult classic Vincent Price film released in 1971. It is a weird little gem of a movie. Part horror, part black comedy, part period piece set in 1925, it is the story of a master organist and mechanical genius seeking revenge on the doctors and nurses who were unable to save his wife, Victoria, on the operating table. Phibes was disfigured in a fiery car crash while racing to be at her side and presumed dead. Assisted by his mute companion Vulnavia he emerges from the shadows four years later and begins a series of bizarre murders on those he blames for Victoria's death.  The movie is beautifully filmed and holds your attention throughout. Vincent Price is magnetic as the fiend Phibes. A sequel,  Dr. Phibes Rises Again!, was released the following year and while it does not quite have the smoothness of the first it is still a fun romp of snazzy murder and mayhem.

Phibes is an excellent film villain and would be fun to encounter in RPG's. The film is set in 1925 but he nad his creations can be used with little trouble in Victorian, modern, fantasy, etc.

Phibes lends himself well for a good murder mystery with elaborate and stylish deathtraps to confound and intrigue the players.

Dr. Anton Phibes
"Nine killed you. Nine shall die. Nine times, nine! Nine killed you! Nine shall die! Nine eternities in DOOM!"

HD: 5
HP: 23
AC: 10/9
Hit: +3/ as Cleric
Save: 11/ as Cleric

Horrific Appearance

Phibes is horribly scarred from the fire that killed his wife. He can only speak when a phonographic speaker is plugged into this port on the left side o his neck and wheeled around with him. He can only eat and drink through a port in the back right side of his neck. 

Without his makeup and prosthesis he is a leathery skull-faced horror. Those that see his true for the first time must make a Saving Throw (Paralysis) or be stunned and unable to act for one round, 

Mad Strength

Phibes is unhinged and is immensely strong when his wrath is focused. If Phibes hits with and unarmed attack and exceeds the target AC by five or more points he automatically begins strangling his victim for an automatic 1d6 damage that round and each subsequent round until the victim makes a Strength check with a -4 penalty to break free. While he is strangling a foe he is vulnerable to attacks from others; they gain a +2 on attacks to hit him.

Phibes is a master organist and an  expert of Music, Mythology, and Theology. He is also a genius with machinery, building clockwork traps and his famous clockwork band. Phibes also has some medical training as he was able to drain Dr. Longstreet's blood and implant a key in  Lem Vesalius' chest. He has also mastered a scientific method of draining his blood and replacing it with  special embalming fluid which places him in suspended animation. The process is automatic and he can stay in hibernation for years until the machine replaces his blood, awakening him from his deathless sleep at a preordained time.

Phibes' entire existence is devoted to restoring his dead wife to life and gaining revenge on those whom actually have or whom  he believes have wronged him. Phibes seeks any knowledge to aide in this quest, be that knowledge scientific or of the occult. He is fiendishly clever and will set deadly traps to kill his foes. He only relies on brute force if trapped or cornered. Phibes is a man of refined taste and feels vulgar displays of violence are beneath him yet useful at times. He revels in the planning and execution of his devious devices. He is an eccentric madman. 

Traps

Dr. Phibes is fond of bizarre traps to do in his enemies. This is a great opportunity for the DM to teach his players the value of caution in the games and it is a fun exercise of cat and mouse between Phibe's and the PC's. If there is a chance to notice the trap allow the PC's and NPC's to detect the traps as per normal rules. Even if they do detect the trap they may not recognize it or what it is given Dr. Phibes proclivity for eccentric designs and symbolism.

The following is a sampling of Phibe traps.

Bees, locusts, scorpions, bats, rats, and other vermin.

Phibes will set his victim up to be attacked and killed by hordes of vermin. He often catches the victmi asleep or drugs them and then releases his vermin to pick and claw then to death. At other times he has lured them into restraints with Vulnavia's charms and then unleashes his creeping death,

Crushing Mask

The elaborate mask has a mechanism at the base of the neck which locks the mask and begins to slowly crush the skull of the wearer. It does 1d4 damage automatically per round. It can be removed with a Pick Locks check or the mechanism can be broken by prying damage. It has 5 hp.

Unicorn catapult

A unique death worth mentioning. It was not a trap but a long range murder. Catapulting a bronze unicorn head across the street to kill Dr. Whitcombe at a gentleman's club.

Ice Blower and Sand Blaster

Damage is identical or both: 1d6 per round, Saving Throw (Breath Weapon) for half damage. The victim of each was trapped in their vehicles and quickly done in. The ice blower was placed in the vehicle by Phibe's personally and the sand blaster was installed to surprise the driver by spraying from the dashboard. 

Vulnavia

HD: 3

HP: 13

AC: 12/7

Hit: +3/ as Fighter

Save: 13/ as Thief

Move Silently,  Hide in Shadows, Pick Locks, Backstab 

As thief of third level.

Of apparent Romanian origin Vulnavia is a young woman who serves as Phibes assistant, companion, driver, and accomplice in his schemes and revenge. She is a capable combatant and has picked up a number of larcenous skills to aid her master. 

The Clockwork Wizards 

HD:  1+1

HP:  5

AC:  11

Hit: + 1

Save:  17

Move: 9

Mechanical

The Clockwork Wizards are simple machines and are unaffected by disease, poison, and level drain. They do not eat, drink, sleep, or breathe. They are fairly fragile and can be damaged normally by weapons, heat, cold etc. Their unarmed attack does the same damage as a normal human (1d2.) They are most effective when given weapons.

Windup

The Clockwork Wizards must  be wound up once per day to function, 

The Clockwork Wizards are mechanical musicians created by Phibes. They are simple robots, far ahead of their time,  able to carry out a simple commands such as guarding a location or attacking a victim. They are clumsy and a bit slow but they do hit hard and are dangerous in numbers. 

Herbert West - Reanimator. For Classic and OSR gaming.

A serialized short story published in 1922 by HP Lovecraft and adapted into a cult classic serious of movies beginning in 1985. This write up will focus on the original short story characterization of Dr. Herbert West.

The short story tells the tale of Herbert West a student doctor obsessed with finding a way to defeat death. He creates a serum, a reagent to reanimate the dead and with the assistance of an unnamed doctor begins to rob graves and try to revive corpses with the serum with mixed and horrific results.

Here is the story. It is a fun bit of pulpy Frankensteinian fiction Lovecraft admitted writing only for the five dollars he received or each of the six installments.

Spoiler!

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The nameless assistant and confidant of West narrates the story and claims West was torn to pieces and dragged away by the 'tomb-legions', escaped past experiments of West under the guidance of one of his more intelligent reanimation's. 

For our game purposes this did not happen. The nameless narrator went mad and swooned before they reached West. West escaped with his rejected experiments hot on his heels. Waking and mad the narrator hallucinated West's demise to the detectives in charge of the investigation and nicely leaving Dr. Herbert West free to enter our games. 

Dr. Herbert West, Reanimator
"Damn it, it wasn't quite fresh enough..."

HD: 3

HP: 15

AC: 10/9

Hit: +2/ as Cleric

Save: 13/ Cleric

Anatomy
West can use his knowledge of anatomy to target key damage points on the body allowing him to Backstab as a Thief of equal level.

Diagnose

West can make a  check (16 or less on a d20) to diagnose the illness of a patient, giving him information on proper treatment of the illness and a bonus on any further checks with that patient. 

A successful check gives West a +1 hp per Healing dice below and a +2 bonus on Stabilization attempts below.

Healing

Healing
West may attempt to  heal 1d6 hit points of damage to himself or another. The healing attempt must be rolled each time it is used (18 or less on a d20,)  He or another Physician can attempt the healing check until successful but each subsequent check has a cumulative 2 penalty to the roll. If assisted by another Physician the check has a 2 bonus.

No attempt at healing by West or a colleague of his skill or lower will give more hit points to those sets of wounds. If another Physician of greater skill comes along he can attempt to heal the wound again. If he succeeds on the healing check he will roll the 1d6 and compare it to the original roll. If it is greater the extra hit points are gained (not added, the new better 1d6 roll replaces the original 1d6 hit point roll.) If he rolls less it is ignored and the original Physician's healing stands as is. The only way the patient will lose hit points this way is if the New Physician rolls a natural 20 failure on the healing check.

If a character is wounded again West can attempt to heal the new set of wounds, but no matter how good his healing roll, he will not heal the patient of more hit points than were lost in the new set of wounds.

For example: Assistant Dan has lost ten hit points in a fight. West makes a successful healng check and rolls to heal five hit points. He nor another Physician can attempt to heal more of these lost hit points from this set of wounds. Later Dan  is damaged again for three more points of damage. West makes his healing check and can heal these three points of damage if he rolls well enough, but no more as he cannot attempt to heal the previous wound's lost hit points a second time.

This healing can be used for not only combat damage, but also disease, poison, and any other type of damage which takes away hit points.

If a successful Diagnosis check is made before the healing check a +1 bonus to hit points healed is gained.

A patient under a West's direct care also heals twice the number of hp per day with natural healing.

Surgery

As a doctor West can try to control bleeding, massage organs, etc to stabilize any character that has reached 0 or fewer hits points, and would otherwise be dead. West must reach the victim within three rounds following the victims incapacity, beginning on the round after he drops to 0 or below. Once he has reached the patient, he must then make a check (16 or less on a d20)  with a  -1 penalty for every hit point below 0. If he fails the patient continues to lose one hp per round until he is dead at -10.

If he succeeds in this, the character is stabilized and does not die. If the victim is wounded again, another attempt can be made but with an additional -4 penalty in addition to normal bonuses and penalties, representing the shock of additional wounds to the body.

Equipment

Reanimation Serum (One dose reanimates one human-sized corpse)

Doctor's Bag (+1 to Diagnose and Surgery checks)

Pistol (1d8), Scalpel (1d3), Amputation Knife (1d6)

Reanimation Serum

An evilly glowing viscous fluid, injected into the veins of the deceased. Herbert West has spent decades experimenting and refining his great discovery: the reanimation serum; the fluid that brings the dead back to the world of the living. 

Unfortunately he can't get the damn thing to work quite right.

The reanimated may not retain all of their higher brain functions. In fact, the less 'fresh' the corpse the worse the reaction is. Early versions of serum produced violent animalistic reanimated corpses. West later tried to refine the serum and its doses but the results were uneven as many of the corpses only blinked, gave horrible expressions, or cried out before sinking back into the oblivion of death. West has since gone back to the stronger, earlier version of the serum which produces the psychotic effects but he is more than willing to inflict them on the world to study them, examine them to hopefully find out what is wrong with the formula and hindering his 'great work.'

The subjects appear to be dead: their skin is pale, blood is pooled as there no heart beat, they foam at the mouth, and any wounds they have at death are not healed. Most are unpleasant to look at. 

The normal reanimation serum works as follows: 

Reanimation occurs within 2d6 rounds of injection and the subject doesn't come back with the same amount of Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma it had in life. The degree of loss depends on how long the subject has been dead as the less fresh the corpse, the more the brain is deteriorated. If the corpse had an Intelligence and Wisdom higher than the max on the chart below it automatically drops to the maximum allowed. 

⦁ Less than five minutes: Intelligence, Wisdom, and  Charisma maximum of 13

⦁ Five minutes to an Hour: Intelligence, Wisdom, and  Charisma maximum of 8

⦁ Longer than an Hour: Intelligence, Wisdom, and  Charisma maximum of 3 

Those reanimated come back are treated as a creature with HD equal to half of the HD it had in life, round up (minimum one HD.) HP, attacks, Saving Throws, etc are treated as a normal monster of that HD. 

The receive the following special abilities:

Bite 

1d3 damage

Hideous

The reanimated are  prone to be dangerously psychotic and barely able to pass for human without some sort of disguise. Any wounds they died from will be obvious and unhealed. Most appear to be 'deadish' and leaking fluids and foam. Those who see an undisguised reanimated and realize that it is not human must make a Saving Throw (Paralyzation)  or suffer a -2 to all actions against the reanimated.  If they fail the Saving Throw by more than five they will likely flee in terror.

Fear of Fire

These reanimated have an instinctive fear of fire. If confronted with any fire torch sized or larger they must make a Saving Throw (Paralyzation) or be unable to melee attack the person wielding the fire. 

Retained Abilities

Those with more than a 3 in Intelligence may retain some use of abilities or skills they had in life albeit usually at a greatly reduced rate of competency. 

Above all else remember that the serum is a plot device, a tool for you to use as you see fit to have a good time. Roll with it.

Classic/OSR: The Frankenstein Monster (universal films) for Halloween

Halloween is on the way and part of the fun for myself is the deluge of old horror films. Especially the Universal films of the thirties and forties.

"Yes, I know. Made me from dead. I love dead... hate living." - The Monster
Bride of Frankenstein (1939)

The Frankenstein Monster (Universal Films)
The Creature appears to want only peace and to be left alone to its own devices. When provoked it can become a murderous and ruthless engine of destruction. The Creature is not stupid as many people assume it to be. It has a cunning mind and is adept at escaping and striking back at those who would hurt or destroy it. 
HD: 10
HP: 55
AC: 5/14
Save:  F10/8
Attack: +10 melee, +10 ranged
Damage: Unarmed (1d8) or Club/Improvised (1d10)

A reanimated collection of dead flesh and parts the Creature is an abomination of nature and due to its condition does not age.

The massive body of the Frankenstein Monster is frightfully strong being built by its creator to be physically powerful and to absorb punishing damage. Its unarmed attacks (usually a fist or stomp) do 1d8 dmg and any object it can pick up to swing or batter with does 1d10 dmg.

Due to its inherit toughness the Frankenstein Monster only takes 1/2 damage from cold (1/4 with a successful saving throw.)

Part of the resurrection of the Creature involved massive massive jolts of electricity. This peculiarity of animation has allowed it to regenerate damage when struck with electricity. It is immune to electrical damage and actually heals 1/4 of the damage rolled against it. If 'killed' and the body is not destroyed the Creature goes into a death state, undecaying, and can be revived with a massive jolt of electricity. To truly kill the Creature its body must be dismembered (and even then there is no guarantee it cannot be reassembled and reanimated) or completely consumed such as by fire or acid.

A deep primal fear of fire still lurks in the resurrected dead brain of Frankenstein Monster. When confronted with fire as a weapon or a massive wall of flame the Creature must make a Saving Throw (Paralysis) with a -4 penalty. Success allows it to act normally but with a -2 penalty to all actions. Failure causes it to go Berserk sending it into a mindless rage attacking those who wish to hurt it or get in its way.  While berserk the Creature receives a +2 bonus to hit/damage with melee weapons, a -2 penalty with ranged weapons, and a -2 penalty to AC. Once the attacker is dead or the Creature has managed to flee the wall of fire it can make another saving throw to calm down and not attack anyone in its way. The Creature makes this saving throw check each round til it comes out of the rage.

Because of its grotesque and unnatural appearance Frankenstein Monster is shunned by normal men and women who are horrified by it. It effectively has a Charisma of 0 when dealing with normal people, even allies. This may be overcome given time and by the Creature's actions.

Equipment:
Ragged Clothing. Boots.

Basil Gogos

D6 Horror: 1970's Marvel Comics Monsters

Since I was a boy I have been obsessed with Marvel's 70's Horror comics.
Tomb of Dracula, Werewolf By Night, Monster of Frankenstein, Morbius, Man-Thing, the Zombie, Ghost Rider Dracula Lives!, Monsters Unleashed, Vampire Tales, Tales of the Zombie, etc.
Dracula is already here. Now for a few more I had laying about.

Morbius, the Living Vampire

Agi 5D  
Str 5D  
Kno 4D  
Per 3D  
Mech2D  
Tech4D
Fate Points: 1
Character Points: 3
Str Dmg: 3D
Move: 20/ 40 flying
BP: 35 
Skills:
Brawling 6d, Climb/Jump 8d, Dodge 6d, Flying 6d, Intimidation 6d, Lifting 6d, Medicine 6d, Scholar (Drugs) 6d, Scholar (Hematology) 8d, Scholar (Blood Diseases) 8d, Search 6d, Sneak 6d, Willpower 6d

Advantages: 
Contacts (I) former friends and colleagues in the medical field.

Disadvantages: 
Infamy (II) public knowledge of his condition and crimes, although the general public believes his is an ordinary serial killer, Quirk (I) guilt over his victims.

Edges: 
Armor (+2D), Claws (+1D Str Dmg), Drain (4D, blood), Flying (3D), Locate Human (2D), Night vision (2D), Regeneration (2D, heal 2 BP per round), Speed (+10 move, +1D initiative), Undead, minor (2D), Wall Crawl (1D)

Flaws: 
Appearance (2D, white skin, red eyes, fangs, unusual bat-like features), Craving (3D, blood, nightly), Miscellaneous (2D, must sleep during daytime, or lose 2d6 BP at dusk), Sensitivity (3D, 6d dmg, sunlight)

Frankenstein Monster

Agi 3D  
Str 8D  
Kno 3D  
Per 3D  
Mech1D  
Tech1D  
Fate Points: 1
Character Points: 3
Str Dmg: 5D
Move: 10
BP: 55 
Skills:
Brawling 6d, Intimidation 6d, Languages (French) 6d, Languages (German) 5d, Lifting 10d, Melee 5d, Running 5d, Search 4d, Sneak 4d, Throwing 4d , Willpower 5d 

Advantages: None

Disadvantages: 
Handicap (II) difficulty speaking, +5 Diff to Bargain, Command, Con, and Persuasion; Sense of Duty (I)

Edges: 
Armor (+3D), Bounding (2D, +4d Jump checks), Night vision (2D), Regeneration (3D, heal 3BP per round), Resistance (+3D vs. energy), Undead (4D)

Flaws: 
Appearance (4D), Repulsion (2D, fire)

Man-Thing

Agi 2D  
Str 8D    
Kno 1D  
Per 2D   
Mech1D  
Tech0D  
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 2
Str Dmg: 5D
Move: 10
BP: 50 
Skills:
Brawling 4d, Hide (Swamp) 10d, Intimidation 5d, Lifting 10d, Search 4d, Sneak 3d
 
Advantages: None

Disadvantages: 
Handicap (III) mute

Edges: 
Armor (+5D), Empathy (2D), Fear (3D, +6d Intimidation checks), Immortal (4D, destruction of the nexus of all realities), Miscell: Acid Touch (3D, 6d damage, brawling attack. Only works on those who fear or fail vs. the Intimidation+Fear), Night vision (2D), Painless (2D), Regeneration (3D, heal 3BP per round), Resistance (+3D vs. energy), Water Breathing (1D)

Flaws: 
Appearance (4D), Command (4D)

The Zombie, Simon Garth

Agi 2D
Str 6D
Kno 1D  
Per 3D  
Mech 1D  
Tech 1D  
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 2
Str Dmg: 3D
Move: 10
BP: 40 
Skills:
Brawling 5d, Hide 4d, Intimidation 5d, Lifting 8d, Search 4d, Sneak 3d, Willpower 2d
 
Advantages: None

Disadvantages: 
Handicap (III) mute

Edges: 
Armor (+3D), Bounding (2D, Night vision (2D), Regeneration (2D, heal 2BP per round), Painless (2D), Resistance (+3D vs. energy), Undead (4D)

Flaws: 
Appearance (2D), Hostility (3D, animals), Miscellaneous (4D, Garth must obey whoever has the Amulet of Damballah in his possession), Sensitivity (2D, 4d damage: fire)

The Ghost Rider

Agi 3D
Str 5D
Kno 2D  
Per 3D  
Mech3D  
Tech2D  
Fate Points: 2
Character Points: 3
Str Dmg: 4D
Move: 10
BP: 45 
Skills:
Brawling 8D, Dodge 4D, Hide 4D, Intimidation 8D, Lifting 8d, Melee 6D, Scholar (Occult) 6D, Search 6D, Sneak 4D, Vehicle Operations (Motorcycle) 10D, Willpower 8D
 
Advantages: None

Disadvantages: 
Infamy (II) The Ghost Rider is a wanted criminal by law enforcement, although they do not know is true nature.

Edges: 
Armor (+3D), Aura Sight (3D), Empathy (2D), Fear (2D, +4D Intimidation), Night vision (2D), Painless (2D), Ranged Attack (3D, Hellfire, 6D dmg, 30/60/90 range ), Regeneration (3D, heal 3BP per round), Resistance (+3D vs. energy), Undead (4D)

Flaws: 
Appearance (4D, flaming skeleton), Compulsion (3D, punish evil), Hostility (3D, animals), Vow (3D)

Equipment:
Leather racing suit, Hellfire Cycle.

Hellfire Cycle
Created from the Rider's hellfire it takes one round to form the motorcycle. 
The Cycle defies natural laws being incredibly fast and if the flaming wheel can touch a surface the Rider can drive the Cycle on that surface. This allows the Cycle to run over water and up walls. The Cycle has limits; it cannot drive upside down on ceilings,
Move: 280 m (400 kph)
Passengers: 1-2
Toughness 5D
Maneuverability: +2D+1

Jonny Blaze
Agi 3D+2
Str 3D
Kno 2D+1
Per 2D+1
Mech 3D
Tech 2D+2  
Fate Points: 1
Character Points: 3
Str Dmg: 1D
Move: 10
BP:  28
Skills: 
Bargain 4D, Brawling 4D, Con 3D, Dodge 4D, Firepower 4D, Intimidation 8D, Investigation 4D, Medicine 3D, Melee 4D, Persuasion 4D, Scholar (Occult) 6D, Search 4D, Security 4D, Sneak 4D, Vehicle Operations (Motorcycle) 10D, Vehicle Repair 6D, Willpower 6D

Advantages:
Contacts (I) The Occult Community: Blaze knows a number of minor magical researchers and other entities from his attempts to free himself of The Rider.

Drawbacks:
Miscellaneous (III) In the presence of evil Blaze transforms into The Ghost Rider with no control over The Rider, Quirk (II) Secret: the fact that Blaze is The Rider is not known publicly.

Equipment:  

Leather riding suit, Knife (Str+1D), motorcycle.