Stirge

Torchbearer Monstrous Compendium
1

I was inspired by Sean Nittner’s Giant Tick, so here’s a classic nasty blighter for you all:

Stirge
Might: 2
Nature: 2
Nature Descriptors: Blood-sucking, Flying, Swarming
Dispositions: Flee 5, Fight 3, Drive off 2. Capture: Nature + Nature Roll. No others.Fight Weapons: Proboscis (+1D Attack, +1D Feint), Feathered Wings (+1s Maneuver, +1s Defend)
Flee Weapons: Feathered Wings (+1s Attack, +1D Defend)
Armor: None

Instinct: Attack from above!
Special: Blood Drain. Stirges live to impale victims with their needle-sharp proboscises and suck them dry of blood. A successful Attack or Feint indicates a stirge has successfully inserted its proboscis into the acting character’s flesh. Once so attached, the character loses one stone every volley until the stirge is removed (requires 2s of a successful maneuver) or all of that character’s stones have been discarded. Even a warrior, dwarf or halfling with the Stubborn ability can be knocked out of a conflict in this manner.

2

Classic! But . . . What if my character isn’t carrying any stones? Is she immune to the Blood Drain attack then?

3

Heh, yeah, was wondering about that as well. Some disposition alternative?

4

I think it’s referring to some sort of health mechanic–the kickstarter preview states that you’ll need some sort of stones or markers to keep track of health, etc.

5

Stones are “Hit Points” — if you’re in a conflict and still on your feet, you’ll have at least one.

6

And here I thought it was a reference to archaic measures of weight.

7

Ah, that makes the sense. (only thirteen days until we’re thirteen days closer to learning more!)

8

Sweet! Thanks for posting this Thor, Stirge’s were coming up on my list!