CRE DI TS

Designer Bruce R. Cordell

Developer Sean K. Reynolds
Additional Design Monte Cook, Dominique Dickey, Shanna Germain
Creative Director Monte Cook
Managing Editor Teri Litorco
Editor Megan Boatright
Proofreader Dominique Dickey
Editorial Intern Eileen Kanost Barnes
Art Director Bear Weiter
Graphic Design and Layout Javier P. Beltrán
Additional Layout Sarah Turner, Bear Weiter
Cover Artist Roberto Pitturru
Cartographer Hugo Solis

Artists
Mauro Alocci, Paola Andreatta, Eren Arik, Javier P. Beltrán, Domenico Cava,
Biagio D’Alessandro, Giuseppe De iure, Gaia Degl’Innocenti, Doruk Golcu,
Sadekaronhes Esquivel, Alexander Gustafson, Joel Chaim Holtzman,
Dharm “Duddum” Khalsa, Guido Kuip, Katerina Ladon, Raph Herrera Lomotan,
Macli, Patrick McEvoy, Lyss Menold, Christine Mitzuk, Federico Musetti,
Andrea Negroponte, Gabriela Novotná, Mirco Paganessi, Angelo Peluso, Scott Purdy,
Maichol Quinto, Jacopo Schiavo, Joel Slucher, Zoa Smalley, Matt Stawicki,
Tiffany Turrill, Nino Vecia, Chris Waller, Kieran Yanner, Yulia Zhuchkova

© 2024 Monte Cook Games, LLC. CYPHER SYSTEM and its logo are trademarks of Monte Cook Games, LLC in the U.S.A.
and other countries. All Monte Cook Games characters and character names, and the distinctive likenesses thereof, are
trademarks of Monte Cook Games, LLC.

Printed in Canada
 TABLE OF CONTENTS
HOW TO USE THE CYPHER SYSTEM BESTIARY. . . . . 4 PART 5: SCIENCE FICTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
CREATURES BY LEVEL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Robots.............................................................. 118
Space Troopers.................................................122
PART 1: FANTASY..................................................6 Time Travelers..................................................124
Dragons............................................................... 8 Cyborgs............................................................ 126
Elves...................................................................12 Aliens................................................................128
Dwarves..............................................................14 AIs....................................................................132
Adventurers....................................................... 16 Posthumans.....................................................134
Goblins...............................................................18
Elementals......................................................... 22 PART 6: SUPERHEROES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Wizards............................................................. 30 Gadgeteer Masterminds..................................138
Wraiths.............................................................. 32 Speedster Supervillains...................................142
Orcs................................................................... 34 Criminals......................................................... 144
Trolls.................................................................. 36 Energy-Wielder Supervillains.......................... 146
Giants................................................................ 38 Strong Supervillains.........................................148
Monstrous Supervillains.................................150
PART 2: HORROR. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Rogue Supervillains......................................... 152
Ghosts...............................................................44 Cosmic Beings.................................................154
Serial Killers...................................................... 48
Things................................................................ 50 PART 7: POST-APOCALYPTIC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Demons............................................................. 54 Radbeasts.........................................................158
Haunted Houses.............................................. 58 Cannibals........................................................ 162
Vampires........................................................... 62 Mutants........................................................... 164
Werebeasts........................................................64 Raiders............................................................ 168
Killer Toys.......................................................... 68 Zombies...........................................................170
Warlords........................................................... 174
PART 3: FAIRY TALE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Outlaws............................................................. 72 PART 8: WEIRD WEST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Faeries............................................................... 74 Cursed Beasts.................................................. 178
Satyrs................................................................. 76 Gunslingers......................................................182
Pirates............................................................... 78 Forgeborn........................................................ 184
Unicorns............................................................ 82 Lawmen............................................................188
Magical Winds.................................................. 84 Strange Folk.................................................... 190
Huntmasters..................................................... 86 Ghost Riders................................................... 194
Crafted Creatures.............................................. 88
Witches..............................................................90 TABLE AND MAP INDEX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Mermaids..........................................................94 CREATURE INDEX. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196

PART 4: MODERN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Crime Bosses.................................................... 98
Hackers........................................................... 102
Secret Agents.................................................. 104
Assassins........................................................ 106
Bounty Hunters............................................... 108
Detectives.........................................................110
Billionaires....................................................... 112
 CYPHER SYSTEM BESTIARY

How to Use the

Cypher System
Bestiary

T his Cypher System bestiary features a new take

on creature stats for creatures both familiar and
new. The stat blocks in this book are streamlined and
that particular creature, like severing bite effects for a
cannibal. Several creatures include one or more named
unique sub-varieties, like alchehemoths (a kind of
updated, allowing you to get in and get out without golem referred to as “forgeborn”) and insidious spawn
having to wade through a block of text to grok the base (a kind of horrific creature colloquially known as a
creature’s abilities. But if you want to delve deeper, the “thing”).
creature entry offers a lot more. Finally, each creature is associated with a particular
For example, each entry comes with associated genre. But don’t worry; any given creature’s “genre
tables and options to inspire different names, alternate treatment is light enough that you can use it regardless
special abilities and traits, interesting looks, distinct of which genre your game takes place in.
motivations, a choice of companions or pets, possibly Flip through and take a look. Once you do, you’ll see
a basic lair, or something else that makes sense for what we mean.

Familiar creatures are

those that have previously
appeared in other Cypher
System books. In some
cases, such a creature’s
stat block includes small,
intentional updates.
You can use the older
stat or the expanded
stat found here; as this
book illustrates, different
individual creatures
of the same type are
likely to have different
names, motivations,
equipment, and
sometimes even abilities.

Throughout this
book, you’ll see page
references to various
items accompanied
by this symbol. These
are page references
to the Cypher System
Rulebook (CSR),
where you can find
additional details
about that rule, ability,
creature, or concept.

4
 HOW TO USE THE CYPHER SYSTEM BESTIARY

CREATURES BY LEVEL
LEVEL 1 Ice elemental . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 LEVEL 6
Goblins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Infantry robot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121 Abysmal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Insidious spawn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 AIs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
LEVEL 2 Lightning elemental . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Assassins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Companion robot . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 Mermaids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 Forgeborn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Glowing roach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159 Nightcrawler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181 Ghost rider . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Jackalope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181 Nucleoptera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159 Great wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Killer toys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 Owl wight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191 Grizzly bull . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Orcs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Radimorph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158 Harmattan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Pirates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 Sarsan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193 Insectoid supervillain . . . . . . . . . 150
Wraiths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Scult . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166 Locomotem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Shelleton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164 Magical winds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
LEVEL 3 Space trooper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122 North wind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Acharn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166 Thunder elemental . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Quetzalsaur . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Adventurers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Time traveler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124 Speedster supervillains . . . . . . . 142
Ai zombie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171 Vampire, transitional . . . . . . . . . . 63 Strong supervillains . . . . . . . . . . 148
Cannibals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162 Water elemental . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Trolls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Chupacabra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178 Werefox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Vampires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Criminals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144 Werewolf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Werelion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Deathtumbler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180 Wind child . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 Wereshark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Detectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110 Wizards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Dwarves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Worker robot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 LEVEL 7
Faeries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 Zombie sorcerer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173 Animalistic supervillain . . . . . . . . 151
Lucifan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165 Dragons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Lycoyotl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192 LEVEL 5 Energy-wielder supervillains . . . . 146
Nanny robot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 Alchehemoth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186 Giants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Raiders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168 Billionaires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 Posthumans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Raider, fell rider . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169 Crime bosses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 Radioactive bear . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Raider, marauder . . . . . . . . . . . . 169 Cyborgs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Robots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118 Deadshot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187 LEVEL 8
Serial killers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Demons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Atomus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Technician robot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 Devouring mass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Fungoid supervillain . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Wyrm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Earth elemental . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Mighty wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Zombies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170 Gadgeteer masterminds . . . . . . . 138
Zombie singer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173 Lawmen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188 LEVEL 9
Zombie spitter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173 Orc veteran . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Vampire lord . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Zombie sprinter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172 Outlaws . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 West wind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Rogue supervillains . . . . . . . . . . . 152
LEVEL 4 Satyrs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76 LEVEL 10
Air elemental . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Secret agents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 Elder dragon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Aliens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128 Twine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Bounty hunters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108 Unicorns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 LEVEL 13
Crafted creatures . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 Warlords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174 Cosmic beings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Elves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Werespider . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Fire elemental . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Wild one . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Fleshmare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186 Witches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Ghosts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Wraith lord . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Gunslingers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182 Zombie hulk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Hackers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Haunted houses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Huntmasters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86

5
 CYPHER SYSTEM BESTIARY

GOBLINS 1 (3)
Goblins are wicked, grasping, and perversely resourceful humanoids,
usually no larger than children.

Health: 3
Damage Inflicted: 2 points
Movement: Short
Modifications: Speed defense as level 3 due to size and
quickness; deception, perception, stealth, and setting
traps as level 5
Combat: Goblins attack with knives, claws, or biting in
immediate range, and with slings, shortbows,
and rocks at short range.
But unless caught unawares, they might
also rely on a variety of Goblin Tactics,
Goblin Traps, and Goblin Allies.

THE ESSENCE OF GOBLINS

Goblins are driven by greed and malice.
They stop at nothing to acquire what they
want, killing their targets if convenient,
but often making do with theft. They flee
in the face of real danger.
Goblins are pesky rabble but
are surprisingly cunning when
threatened. Allied goblins work together
to accomplish their goals of murder,
kidnapping, and robbery.
But if goblins are caught unawares,
they’re usually engaged in some shambolic
Goblin Activity or other. If PCs defeat a
group of goblins, they can scavenge dribs
and drabs of Goblin Loot.

Goblin Activity, page 20 GOBLIN NAMES

Goblin Loot, page 20 Goblins are usually known by the mean nicknames conferred by other goblins, but their
names can also be short, guttural sounds resembling the first sounds each goblin ever
made. Options include:
Adventure Seed: A goblin
community is looking for Crug, Blic, Sootfinger, Vrak, Turdlicker, Stenchfoot, Moldy, Rip, Slimebelly, Slagjaw, Grub,
adventurers to wipe out a
rival goblin encampment.
Flab, Stinker, Bloodeye, Juk, Beetleface, Narg, Bentbrain, Zolt, One-Ear, Pinch, Stinktooth,
Wart, Ratfondler, Gish, Pussdrinker, Slug, Dragonchow, Kak, Brokeclaw, Toadgrin, Screech,
Shakyleg, Bedwetter, Gak, Snotjaw, Crack, Halfhand, Farty, Splinterclaw, Canker, Limpgob,
Wartbutt, Shrivelsack, Crackbrain, Drumpft, Ditchsucker

18
 CYPHER SYSTEM BESTIARY
GOBLIN TRAPS
Goblin traps are simple but well-built level 5 mechanical ambushes affecting an immediate area, designed to allow a
goblin to run past or through them without triggering them, but requiring others to succeed on a Speed defense roll
to avoid them. Options include:

d6 Trap (level 5)
1 Avalanche; affected targets crushed under boulders and scree for 5
points of damage each round until they can escape.
2 Net snare; affected targets caught and hauled into the air in the net
until they can escape; goblins spear helpless targets in the meantime
(treat goblins as if they have surprise).
3 Tripwire on stairs; affected targets tumble down flight embedded with
glass shards, taking 6 points of damage.
4 Iron ram swings down from ceiling; affected targets take 7 points of
damage.
5 Tripwire in corridor; if triggered, a dozen poisonous spiders (level 1;
attacks as level 3 and inflicts 3 points of damage from poison) drop
from ceiling hatch.
6 Tripwire in corridor; if triggered, rolling boulder hurtles down corridor,
hindering Speed defense rolls by two steps and inflicting 8 points of
damage, or 3 points even with a successful roll.

19
 CYPHER SYSTEM BESTIARY

PART 2

HORROR
H orror can be found in any setting. Instead of strictly
being its own genre, horror can happen whenever
One of the horror’s hallmarks is that its central
mystery is inscrutable. All people can do is react to the
a situation becomes eerie and “messed up.” Which scary monster or situation, but understanding its true
means you can merge horror with any other setting origin or motive is almost impossible. However, at least
whether that’s modern day (which most horror starts a monster can (hopefully) be killed. But the question
from), fantasy, fairy tale, weird west, and especially then becomes, if there was one, are there more?
science fiction.

CREATURES
Ghosts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Serial killers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Things. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Demons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Haunted houses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Vampires. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Werebeasts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Killer toys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

RELATED CREATURES IN OTHER SECTIONS

Wraiths. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Witches. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Robots. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Aliens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Monstrous supervillains . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Radbeasts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Cannibals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Zombies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Cursed beasts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Strange folk. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Interested in advice for Ghost riders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
building an adventure
or entire setting
featuring horror?
Check out Stay Alive!,
our genre-building
horror sourcebook.

42
 PART 2 | HORROR

HORRIFIC SITUATIONS
If you’re looking for general horror inspiration, use the following tables to generate the outlines of a horror scenario, then
add in one or two creatures from this book. Horror scenarios include a creepy premise, a few jump scares, and a creature
that must be defeated (or often enough, just escaped).
For example, after news outlets bring reports of people around the city doing strange things, PCs learn that something
is replacing people with robots—but not before losing one or two of their own to the process. Alternatively, PCs hired
as caretakers to watch an out-of-the-way property are woken each night by ghastly screams. Investigation reveals a loner
who sometimes becomes a human-sized spider desperate for food.

INCITING UNSETTLING EVENT

d20 Event 11 A new circus comes to town; attendees leave with an
1 At 3 a.m., kitchen sink garbage disposal unit switches on. extra child they confusedly accept as their own.
12 The old asylum, shut down in the 80s, requires a
2 The old shed behind the house seems to move closer
property inspection.
each night.
13 The widow, dead these many years, knocks on the front
3 The long-abandoned house next door is purchased by a
door each night demanding entry.
mysterious corporation.
14 People in the city are being killed by something that
4 Emergency news reports describe people around the city
apparently tears them in half.
doing inexplicable things.
15 Caretakers hired to watch over an empty mountain home
5 No one can open the door in the new house, until it begin hearing strange noises.
opens one night by itself.
16 The in vitro fertilization clinic has been adding odd and
6 Everyone who played the Halloween-themed game earlier upsetting genes to fertilized human embryos.
that night begins disappearing.
17 A scientist studying signals from a distant pulsar
7 Horrific, threatening calls start arriving from an suddenly breaks out with strange sores.
unknown number.
18 A scuffed old briefcase, which used to belong to a
8 Security camera footage shows an impossible creature dead uncle accused of atrocities, begins whispering
creeping out of the sewer. instructions to its new owner.
9 Pale faces peering into homes by night set the 19 Urban explorers checking out an abandoned amusement
neighborhood on edge. park discover something terrible lives there.
10 Something came back with the astronauts who landed on 20 People began disappearing around the city right when the
the moon. new ancient civilization exhibit appeared in the museum.

JUMP SCARES
If appropriate to the situation, treat a jump scare as a GM intrusion.

d20 Scare
1 Corpse falls/springs out of closet or door. 11 Book flings itself from the bookcase hard enough to draw
2 Something reaches out of the darkness and grabs the blood.
character’s shoulder. 12 When the power and lights return, a creepy doll is posed
3 Character notices their reflection moving independently facing the character.
from them. 13 Furred figure from outside suddenly appears in the
4 Floor collapses, dropping character into cellar. window.

5 Book/documents the character is studying burst into 14 Door slams open/shut by itself.
flame. 15 Blood/filthy water/oil begins to pour from the faucet/
6 Severed hand/head of an ally drops into the bath/showerhead.
character’s lap. 16 Mirror explodes, creating dangerous shrapnel.
7 Tree branch animates and grabs the character. 17 Subject of disturbing painting steps out of the canvas.
8 Slime trail leads directly from or into the character’s 18 Radio/TV/computer comes on by itself, playing strident
room, vehicle, or belongings. screams of horrified victims.
9 Ghostly scream from behind character, loud enough to 19 Lights at the end of the street/corridor begin to go out
shatter nearby glass. one by one.
10 Cat that suddenly jumps out of the shadows, 20 Cockroach/fly/spider horde bursts out of chest or door,
missing its head swarming character.

43
 CYPHER SYSTEM BESTIARY

MAGICAL WINDS 6 (18)

GM intrusion: The wind Magical, sapient winds imbued with intelligence

grabs something important and purpose, including the West Wind, go where
from the character and
starts to play a game
they will, blowing across the worlds or taking
of “keep away” from on a specific human or animal shape.
the character with it.

Health: 23
Damage Inflicted: 4 points
Movement: Flies a long distance each round
Combat: Attacks up to three times per round
at different targets within short range with
a violent gust, inflicting damage with a
successful attack and knocking prone
victims who fail a Might defense roll.

GM intrusion: The wind

lifts a character high in
the air and threatens
to let them fall.

Adventure Seed: The only

way to get to a certain
island or floating castle is
with the aid of a particular
magical wind. But the
wind wants the PCs to help
in retrieving a keepsake
that fell into a crack in the
ground they can’t reach.

INTERESTING OBJECTS BLOWN IN BY THE WIND

Sometimes a magical wind deposits interesting things into the hands of
random people, possibly leading to an adventure, or at least an interesting
encounter or two.

d10 Blown by the Wind

1 Gold coins from a dragon’s hoard; the dragon soon 7 Pirate hat that blows in from the sea; fresh blood
follows looking for them. stains its brim.
2 A silver tiara blown from the head of a princess; she 8 Envelope addressed to the Queen containing a
may pay a reward for its return. message warning of a troll invasion.
3 A bronze key to a mysterious door; the only clue is a 9 Vial of stardust (level 6 cypher); for one hour, the
word stamped on the key: Timeborne. user can change shape to a formless wind and back
4 Dreams of a powerful wizard that contain secrets of to themselves as an action; in wind form, characters
an upcoming eclipse. ignore mundane damage, can’t make attacks, and
5 Feather of a phoenix; it brings either luck or can fly up to a long distance each round.
misfortune to whoever claims it. 10 Pocket watch inscribed with “For my daughter
6 Talking map, showing the way to a lost castle from a Edwina; always keep this close to ward off the curse.”
bygone era.

84
 MAGICAL WINDS | fairy tale

THE ESSENCE OF MAGICAL WINDS

Winds favor certain areas and times of year to blow, bringing rain,
warming, cooling, dryness, or some other shift that means that
something, such as the season, is about to change. They may greet
strangers, hear pleas for aid or otherwise help or hinder regular
creatures, or just ask them for the news.

INDIVIDUAL WINDS

There are magical winds, and then there are winds that almost everyone knows about. Or may soon.

THE NORTH WIND North Wind: As magical

The North Wind, also called Boreas, carries a wintry chill. Forceful and biting, the North wind, but freezes those
who fail a Might defense
Wind can be relentless, caring little for the needs of small creatures or people, or even roll, preventing any
purposefully bringing misfortune. physical tasks until they
When not exhaling his icy breath, he takes the shape of a grumpy old human man, can escape with a Might
stomping around his ice-shackled garden, shaking his fist at the first spring winds. defense roll as their action

HARMATTAN
Harmattan is a dry and dusty wind that brings cool and hazy conditions. He enjoys the Harmattan: As magical
company of others—other winds, and other people, often challenging them to games of wind, but can also cover an
area a very long distance
hide-and-seek. across in thick haze
When he’s not manifesting as a northeasterly trade wind, Harmattan appears as a youth
in simple garb with a staff carved of baobab wood.

WIND CHILD
The children of the wind cannot be measured in numbers, for they are here and there and Wind child: level 4; violent
everywhere. They are not born, so much as borne, by weather patterns, wishes, and wants. wind gust attacks one
character within short range
Dust devils, gales, and zephyrs are all wind children. They are mischievous, precocious, and
spoiled, but they know many things, having been all over the world. They may share what
they know in exchange for new secrets or knowledge.
Some wind children can change shape to become actual human children for short Some winds may
periods. When they do, it’s usually to visit a lonesome child or creature that they have call one or more air
elementals as allies.
befriended.
Air elemental, page 26

THE WEST WIND

When the West Wind is not blowing through the sky, she takes the shape of a human West Wind: level 9; Speed
woman dressed in a sparkling blue formal garment, her short silver hair pushed back from defense as level 10, sees
through deceit and resists
her face. Some say the West Wind is cold, but she’s really just an introvert and prefers to intimidation as level 10;
spend most of her time traveling alone. She’s actually warm hearted and may help those health 40; attack inflicts
in need. She does not respond well to trickery, traps, or attempts to force her hand (unless 6 points of damage to
they’re terribly clever or smart, and then she admits grudging respect for the perpetrators). every creature and object
she chooses within a
very long distance and
knocks them prone

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 CYPHER SYSTEM BESTIARY

BILLIONAIRES 5 (15)
Billionaires wield vast fortunes, influencing
industries and economies with their outsized
financial clout.

Health: 15
Damage Inflicted: 3 points
Movement: Short
Modifications: Attacks and Speed
defense as level 3
Combat: When possible, a billionaire
deals with combat in one of the
following ways.
Bodyguards: Most billionaires are always
within hailing distance of a group of two to five
bodyguards who defend their client to the death.
Self-Sacrificing: Billionaire bodyguards get
big bonuses (or big payouts for their families
in the event of their death) to go all out
shielding their client; nearby bodyguards
take as many attacks as they can for their
client, interposing themselves in front
of attacks that would otherwise strike
the billionaire. This effectively gives
the billionaire as much Armor as health
remains in their nearby bodyguards.
Willing to Pay: A billionaire has “more money
than god” and offers to pay a foe millions of
dollars to change sides, then and there, and
work on the billionaire’s behalf, starting with
immediately defending them. Someone offered
such a deal might have to succeed on a difficulty
5 Intellect defense roll to avoid losing their next
turn considering the offer, assuming the offer
isn’t something they accept right away.

Bodyguard: level 4;
Armor 2; long-range
firearm attack deals
6 points of damage

Take the attack,

page 227

112
 BILLIONAIRES | modern

Adventure Seed: Some

headline from the
THE ESSENCE OF A BILLIONAIRE Billionaires in the News
Their status as titans of industry inspires raw arrogance in some table serves as an initial
adventure hook.
billionaires, who believe their fortunes have nothing to do with chance,
luck, or privilege, but instead everything to do with their own genius.
Billionaires control a network of industries, boards of directors,
charities, government officials, and subordinates paid (or bribed) very
well to see to their interests.
Billionaires in the News,
It’s humane to remember that every billionaire is also a person. page 114
A few choose to direct their incredible fortune primarily towards
humanitarian ends. Others buy sports teams and leagues, rare
collectibles, and extravagantly expensive yachts. Many display childish
GM intrusion: Another
behavior and get away with it. And more than a few got their wealth by bodyguard appears and
founding businesses credibly accused of human rights violations and attacks the character
environmental devastation. from behind.

BILLIONAIRE NAMES GM intrusion: The

Billionaires have names that wouldn’t raise an eyebrow if people didn’t know them for their billionaire reveals a
“taser” ring by using it
wealth. Options include: on the character, dealing
4 points of Speed damage
Larry Slim, Alice Adani, Ma Yiming, Bill Walton, Julia Arnault, Tadashi Takizaki, (ignores Armor) and
Steve Ellison, Mary Ballmer, Elon Yass, Shapoor Nadar, Mark Koch, stunning the character so
they lose their next turn.
Amy Ortega, Jeff Bettencourt, Vladimir Monroe, MacKenzie Cheng,
Reinhold Gilbert, Vicky Usmanov, Sammy Woo, Lakshmi Dyson, Joe Musk

ALTERNATIVE BILLIONAIRE ATTACKS Adventure Seed: The PCs’

If someone challenges a billionaire without taking away the billionaire’s access to their friend wrote a scathing
exposé about a billionaire.
resources, the billionaire has many avenues to hurt their challenger—starting with putting Now that friend is under
the rival under so much surveillance it’d be hard to get physically close to the billionaire a attack, professionally,
second time. reputationally, and
Ethically-challenged billionaires use the non-lethal techniques described here even sometimes even physically.
against those who’ve only slighted them. Thanks to the billionaire’s resources, any attempt
to link them directly to attacks on the PCs requires at least a month of research plus a
successful difficulty 8 Intellect task.

d6 Attack
1 Hire influencers/bots to smear the character’s credibility, reputation, ethical standing, etc.
2 Freeze the character’s access to money by locking up their bank accounts, credit cards, etc.
3 File a series of lawsuits that are serious enough to ruin the character if not challenged
4 Hire detectives to dig up dirt on the character, or fabricate it, if necessary Detectives, page 110
5 Report the character as a credible threat to a local SWAT team
6 Assemble a group of hardened mercenaries to just take the character out Mercenary: level 4,
initiative as level 6;
Armor 2; long‑range
firearm attack deals
6 points of damage

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 CYPHER SYSTEM BESTIARY

CYBORGS 5 (15)
GM intrusion: The Part human and part
character is blinded for machine, cyborgs are better
one or two rounds after
being struck by the cyborg’s
than unmodified people at
searing plasma ball. almost everything—except
fitting in.

Health: 21
Damage Inflicted: 5 points
Armor: 2
Movement: Long
Modifications: As determined by active
Cyborg Upgrade Module
Combat: A cyborg batters foes twice each
round with their machine-enhanced
limbs.
A cyborg may also have one or more of
the following traits.
Energy Weapon: The cyborg deploys
a retractable long-range laser rifle and
attacks twice.
Plasma Sphere: Once each minute, the cyborg
generates a red-hot plasma sphere and throws it
at a target within long range as their action. The
target and all other creatures within immediate
range of the target must succeed on Speed
defense rolls or take 7 points of damage, or
2 points even on a successful roll.
Self-Repairing: The cyborg takes their action
to concentrate and regains 5 health. A cyborg
with no health can’t repair themself, but
unless completely dismembered, the cyborg
may spontaneously reanimate 1d10 hours
later with 10 health.
Upgradable: Nearly limitless Cyborg
Upgrade Modules are available.

Adventure Seed: A group

of military cyborgs desert
their unit and head for THE ESSENCE OF CYBORGS
a distant asteroid. Did Cyborgs are human at their core, with all the foibles and strengths of regular people.
they turn pirate? Is it all
However, cyborgs are also more than human. Some see themselves as superior to
a misunderstanding? Or
are they fleeing a secret unmodified people, possibly even showing contempt. Others feel shame, especially if
the military keeps? their society distrusts cyborgs. And reasons to distrust exist, as cyborgs are vulnerable to
hacking, just like machines, and could be programmed to take actions against their will.

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 CYBORGS | science fiction
CYBORG NAMES
Cyborgs have names common to their era or use Cyprien Dakos, Isalind Cador, Five of Twelve, Yovarius
some designation based on their military unit or other Badru, Lysaria Ivanhoe, Doctor Rest, Rhetorius, ZS-
cyborg affiliation. 90, Zephry Quiet, Nyxin Rabineau, Quilera Yahaya,
K-nock, Orunthel Vakis, Revian Silver, Ysandar Taino

ALL-MACHINE OPTION
Some cyborgs have no living tissue left in them, or start as manufactured servants for humanity who later
never had any to begin with. These “synthetic people” gain sentience, be the result of military tests or AI to
may be called cyborgs, but also synths, androids, robot develop automated soldiers and/or assassins that look
mimics, and, depending on how they act, killer robots. like regular people, or something similar.
Pure machine cyborgs can result from too many repairs,

CYBORG APPEARANCE
Unless the cyborg is able to blend in, there’s something obviously machine-like about them.

d10 Cyborg Feature

1 Glowing, circuit-like veins across skin 6 Wing-like skeletal struts extend from back
2 Obvious prosthetic (d6: 1-eye, 2-hand, 3-leg, 4-arm, 7 Half their face is a whirring, clicking mechanism
5-torso, 6-head) 8 Eyes shine like laser pointers wherever they look
3 Transparent, holographically projected arm 9 Human features projected on screen where head
4 Wires wrapped and partially embedded in skin should be
5 Chest cavity clear, reveals pulsing red light 10 Covered in armoring exoskeleton plates (Armor 3)

CYBORG UPGRADE MODULES

A particular cyborg may have access to all these modules but only has one or two installed GM intrusion: The
at any given time. Changing modules requires a visit to a cyborg mechanic or similar. character notices that
after interacting with the
cyborg, tiny circuit-like
Data Jack Umbilical: The cyborg can Overclocked: The cyborg can take two glimmering lines radiate
plug directly into a machine, easing all turns each round for one minute, after from a spot on their skin.
hacking, understanding, and usage of the which the module burns out and must be
machine by two steps. replaced.
Sensor Package: The cyborg’s perception Phase: The cyborg can use their action Adventure Seed: The
tasks are level 7, and they can perceive to move through solid objects of level 7 colony governor is revealed
as a cyborg, which is in
things at very long range as if standing or less with a movement rate of an direct conflict with the
next to area or object perceived. immediate distance each round. colony’s “no human
Nano Skin: The cyborg can reconfigure Mag-Lift: The cyborg can fly a long modification” charter.
their features, hair, and skin to look fully distance each round or magnetically
human, or like specific humans (disguise adhere to metallic objects in a weightless
tasks as level 7). environment to avoid penalties associated
Force Screen: The cyborg deploys a with activities in zero gravity. Zero Gravity, page 277
visible shimmering force screen as part Point-to-Point Movement: Once every
of another action that grants Armor 2, 5 ten hours as their action, the cyborg
against energy attacks. teleports up to a very long distance to a
Energy Blades: The cyborg deploys location they can see, or any place on the
retractable laser blades, allowing their planet (or in orbit around the planet) that
attacks to ignore Armor (except for Armor is set up to receive them.
granted by force fields).

127
 CYPHER SYSTEM BESTIARY

MONSTROUS SUPERVILLAINS
People crossed with carnivorous animals, insects, plants—or even completely alien
entities—can become monstrous in form and deed.

Adventure Seed: A MONSTROUS SUPERVILLAIN NAMES

politician is found Monstrous supervillain names usually speak to the specific kind of creature the villain partly
murdered in their home. manifests, or it could just be a title used by the frightened public.
The murderer was some
kind of monster based on
the evidence left behind, Bullet Ant, Blight, Great White, The Infection, Killer Wasp, Death Rot, The Horror, Manroach,
including the mutilated Blood Rhino, Omega Sting, The Slaughter, Komodo, Proboscis, Skullshroom, The Malignant,
state of the body. Locust, Razor Cobra, Cordyceps, Redback, Death Cap, Assassin Bug, Monstrosity, Kodiak

THE ESSENCE OF MONSTROUS SUPERVILLAINS

Fearsome and often grotesque in appearance, monstrous supervillains share physiology with a particular predatory
animal, an insect, or fungus, or are so mutated (or infected) by an alien influence that they’re unrecognizable in their
monstrosity. Sometimes, it’s their unnatural new form that drives these supervillains to monstrous acts. Other times, it’s
just how they always were.
Dozens of broad monstrous supervillain categories are possible, including insectoid, animalistic, and fungoid villains.

INSECTOID SUPERVILLAIN 6 (18)

GM intrusion: The
character notices tiny
insect eggs in the wound
the villain made.

Insect swarm, enormous: Monstrous supervillains terrify foes with their

level 6; health 30; takes
only 1 point of damage insectoid body parts and abilities as they
from non-area attacks achieve their selfish ends.

Health: 25
Damage Inflicted: 7 points
Armor: 7
Movement: Short; short when climbing; immediate when
burrowing; long when flying
Combat: An insectoid supervillain bites a target twice with
razor‑sharp mandibles.
A specific insectoid supervillain can also take one or more of the
following actions.
Summon Insects: An enormous insect swarm of the same kind
of insect as the supervillain manifests arrives and does the villain’s
bidding.
Poison: The villain’s attack also inflicts Speed damage
(ignores Armor) on a failed Might defense roll.
Metamorphosis: The villain sheds their exoskeleton (up to
once per day), healing 10 health and easing all their tasks by
two steps, but reducing their Armor to 2 for a few hours.
Web: Targets in an adjacent immediate area are held helpless
in sticky webbing on a failed Speed defense roll until they can escape
with a Might roll as their action.

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 MONSTROUS SUPERVILLAINS | Superheroes
GM intrusion: The

ANIMALISTIC SUPERVILLAIN 7 (21)

villain takes another
action, even if they’ve
already acted this round.

Whether part shark, bear, tiger, crocodile, lizard, or something else, a

supervillain crossed with a predator is a vicious, savage antagonist.

Health: 50
Damage Inflicted: 8 points
Armor: 3
Movement: Long
Modifications: Speed defense as level 5 due to size; Might defense as
level 8
Combat: An animal-manifesting supervillain claws and/or bites twice
each round.
A specific animal-manifesting supervillain can also take one or
more of the following actions.
Fly: An avian villain can fly a long distance each round.
Hug: In the same action as the villain deals damage, they also
grab the target that fails a Might defense roll. A grabbed target
automatically takes damage each round and is held immobile
until they can escape.
Frenzy: If hurt or enraged, the villain may attack four times per
round, but their Speed defense is hindered by two steps until the
start of their next turn.
Transform: The villain may be able to switch between their
monstrous and human shapes as an action, which heals
20 health. (Many are stuck in their monstrous shape, which
may drive their ferocity.)

FUNGOID SUPERVILLAIN 8 (24) Spore servitor: level 5

GM intrusion: The
character affected by
Covered in dangerous fungal pocks, or actually completely transformed into a human-sized (or larger) Hallucinating Spores
slime mold or humanoid mushroom, fungoid supervillains usually mess with their victims’ minds. attacks an ally.

Health: 30 Fungal Transformation: A target hit by the villain must

Damage Inflicted: 8 points succeed on a Might defense roll or take an additional 7
Armor: 5 points of Speed damage (ignores Armor) as their flesh is
Movement: Short colonized by fungus.
Combat: Fungoid villains batter targets twice with plated fists. Reanimating Spores: Recently deceased bodies within
A specific fungoid villain may also take one or more of the short range are animated by invasive mycelial growth that
following actions. insinuates into their flesh, creating up to three spore servitors
Fruiting Spores: Targets in an adjacent short area that fail a under their command at one time.
Might defense roll suffer Speed damage (ignores Armor) from Invasive: If the villain is killed, even a single spore
invasive mycelial growth insinuating their flesh. If a target generated before their death is enough to eventually
dies within an hour after taking damage from this attack, regenerate the villain. This means that if all the areas
new fungal growths sprout from the body within the day. where the fungoid villain was recently active are not treated
Hallucinating Spores: Targets in an adjacent short area with fire, acid, or similar, sporulation produces a small
that fail a Might defense roll are treated to a burst of mushroom from the surface within ten days. Ten days after
hallucinatory vision so intense, they lose their next turn. that, the fungoid villain is back.

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 CYPHER SYSTEM BESTIARY

RADBEASTS
Radiation and nuclear detonations have transformed the ecology, creating radioactive beasts.

RADIMORPH 4 (12)
Is it a fish that’s evolved limbs and teeth? A mammal
that’s grown scales? Whatever its origin, this 6-foot
(3 m) long monstrosity is immune to radiation
and keen to eat whatever it can find.

Health: 18
Damage Inflicted: 4 points
Armor: 2 (immune to radiation)
Movement: Short; short when swimming
Combat: The radimorph bites twice.
Radimorphs also have one or both of the
following traits.
Sear: Up to once each minute, the
radimorph’s crest fluoresces a virulent
purple as it releases a searing radiation ray at a
target within short range. The ray deals 8 points of damage on
a failed Speed defense roll and 1 point even with a successful
roll. Targets who take damage are hindered on all tasks for
one minute.
Thrash and Spawn: If slain, the radimorph spasms, attacking
all creatures within immediate range. Targets that fail a Speed
defense roll take damage and are knocked down. While THE ESSENCE OF RADBEASTS
thrashing, the radimorph splits and releases a clutch of six Birthed by the apocalypse, radbeasts are
tiny, virulently purple, glowing, limbed fish—radminnows, predatory monsters with a rabid drive to
which are even more hungry than their deceased parent. consume flesh, especially people. (Or in
the case of atomi, to nuke them.)
Radbeasts include a wide variety of
Radminnow: level 2; RAD EFFECT fauna, including radimorphs, glowing
Speed defense as level 4 Even within a given “species,” the unstable roaches, nucleoptera, radioactive bears,
due to size; when two
attack same target, the
DNA radbeasts harbor can cause wide and atomi. Most radbeasts also have a
minnows make a single variability in appearance and behavior, distinguishing Rad Effect.
level 4 attack that inflicts including:
5 points of damage.
d10 Appearance and/or Behavior 5 A couple of extra mouths mumble and scream
Adventure Seed: A group 1 Bud of a second head protrudes, half-grown 6 Extra legs/wings
of raiders has caught and squirming 7 Sometimes loses their turn to a body-wide
and “tamed” several 2 Smeared with gobbets of previously seizure
radbeasts, which they’re eaten people 8 Constantly drooling a sweet, honey-like spittle
employing to threaten
survivor communities. 3 Eyes blaze with radiation; meeting their gaze 9 Smoldering and smoking, as if about to go up
within short range hinders target’s tasks in a blaze
4 Threaded with fractally-twisted tumors, 10 Bears dozens of thin extensions, like flexing
like broccoli spider legs

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 CYPHER SYSTEM BESTIARY

GLOWING ROACH 2 (6)

Five times the size of roaches from before the apocalypse, these firefly-lit creatures prefer ruined
subways and abandoned basements.

Health: 6 Swarm: Four glowing roaches act together,

Damage Inflicted: 2 points making a single attack as a level 4 creature
Armor: 2 inflicting 4 points of damage; target also
Movement: Short; short when flying becomes irradiated on a failed difficulty 4 Might
Modifications: Speed defense as level 3 due to defense task, which hinders an affected targets’ tasks for one minute.
small size; perception as level 5 Reek: The first time a creature attacks a glowing roach within
Combat: A glowing roach bites with their immediate range, the attacker must succeed on a difficulty 3 Might
radioactive mandibles. task or become queasy from a whiff of something unutterably foul.
Glowing roaches also have the following The affected PCs gain no benefit from Edge in any of their Pools for
abilities. one minute.

NUCLEOPTERA 4 (12)
This irradiated insect has a lethal 13-foot (4 m)
wingspan that burns with bluish-purple energy. Its
mandibles chatter and click like a Geiger counter.

Health: 20
Damage Inflicted: 5 points
Armor: 1 (10 against radiation)
Movement: Immediate; long when flying
Modifications: Perception as level 7
Combat: A nucleoptera bites.
Nucleoptera also have the following abilities.
Wing Irradiation: The nucleoptera that
isn’t flying fans its wings, creating a brilliant
purple flare (no more than once every other
round). All creatures in immediate range take damage
from a blast of radiation on a failed Might defense roll.
Soften Bones: The first time a target fails their defense
roll against Wing Irradiation, their bones soften; on a
second failed Might defense roll, they collapse for up
to one minute or until they succeed on a Might defense
roll as their action. An affected target can’t take physical
actions, defend themselves, or even speak intelligibly.
Oviposit: If the nucleoptera is killed, it immediately takes Treat the growing egg as a level 4 disease that requires
a final action even if it’s already taken its turn this round, three successful Might defense rolls (one per day) to
lashing its tail to make a level 6 attack on the nearest clear. Each failed Might defense roll causes the target
creature. If successful, the target takes damage and a tiny to descend one step on the damage track. If the target
egg is deposited in the wound. (This may not be obvious dies, a small nucleoptera eats its way out of the target’s
to the new host.) remains over the next few days.

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 CYPHER SYSTEM BESTIARY

Adventure Seed: The

PCs are called to help
GHOST RIDERS 6 (18)
contain a powerful fire
or help the victims of
a rock slide created Harbingers of chaos and catastrophe, ghost riders seek to spread havoc and tumult long
by the ghost riders. past their deaths.

Health: 20 Curse: The ghost rider pronounces a curse on a

Damage Inflicted: 6 points target within short range (no more than once per
Armor: 1 day). On a failed Intellect defense roll, the target
Movement: Long suffers some ongoing ailment until the target can get
Combat: A ghost rider attacks with a sword or long- the magic lifted. Options include:
range pistol carved from their own bones. • Sleep-wrecking nightmares (which reduce recovery
A specific ghost rider may use one or more of the rolls by 1 point)
following abilities as their action. • Bad luck (which increases the target’s GM
Bonefire: The ghost rider’s skeletal mount blazes intrusion range to 1–2 on a d20)
with fire, healing the ghost rider 6 health while • Spend the first round of any combat in mortal
simultaneously burning all targets in immediate terror (costing them their turn)
range for 6 points of damage. Chaos Cry: The ghost rider screeches at a target
Touch of the Undead: The ghost rider touches a foe, within long range. On a failed Intellect defense roll,
causing them to see visions of their possible death, the target descends one step on the damage track.
inflicting 6 points of Intellect damage (ignores Armor). Appearance of Life: The ghost rider takes the
Eternally Mounted: If destroyed, the ghost rider and appearance of a normal human riding a normal
their mount reform within a few days. The only way to mount for as long as they wish. Those who can see
permanently destroy a ghost rider is to excavate the spirits, magical beings, and the like are not fooled,
purple glow of the rider’s soul that hides inside their nor are those who succeed on an Intellect-based roll
mount’s throat, then bottle the soul remnant in lye. to discern magical deception, disguises, and so on.

THE ESSENCE OF GHOST RIDERS

A ghost rider’s thunderous arrival is an omen of something terrible: a great storm, eclipse, slaughter,
or other momentous event. Whatever chaos is about to ensue, a ghost rider aims to be part of it (if they
weren’t, in fact, the originators of the catastrophe).
Ghost riders are a physical embodiment of chaos. Wreaking havoc and inciting disaster are what
gives them the power to live on forever. Or rather, “unlive on” forever. Once human, ghosts riders are
so far from their beginnings that they no longer remember that part of themselves. Even so, they still
wear or carry tokens of those old selves, even though they don’t know why.

GM intrusion: The ghost GHOST RIDER CATASTROPHE CATALYSTS

rider pulls on the power Most ghost riders walk the world alone, but occasionally they ride in a pack of four or more
of the surrounding chaos,
allowing them to take
if they’re harbingering something truly cataclysmic.
two actions back-to-back.
The ghost riders use Bonefire to set The group thunders across an area to
fire to a forest, bridge, large building, or instigate a rock slide, earthquake, or other
entire town. natural disaster.
The ghost riders’ exuberant cries trigger a The ghost riders bring all the dead in the
Skeleton, page 353 wild storm, tornado, flood, or other large area to life for the next day (as skeletons).
weather event. The ghost riders call up a company of
Demons, page 54 demons.

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 Ghost Riders | Weird West
GHOST RIDER APPEARANCE
Every ghost rider is distinguishable from others, sometimes related to the kind of disaster GM intrusion: The
they provoke. Other standout features include the following. event the ghost riders
are harbingering
d10 Feature suddenly arrives or
1 Instead of a sword and pistol, uses a whip or lasso of blazing fire increases in intensity.

2 Wears a crown made of bone and stone

3 Head is always aflame, as is the cowboy hat they wear Ghost riders don’t
4 Carries the bones of a small child or animal always ride horses; their
creatures are always
5 Wears a large piece of jewelry, such as a necklace, bracelet, or earring(s) appropriate to the
6 Their ripped and tattered cloak always moves behind them, even when there’s no wind setting, so they may ride
bone camels, elephants,
7 The hoofprints left behind blaze with green fire for several minutes and so on. When using
8 The rider’s mount seems to be made of writhing worms in the shape of a horse ghost riders in a game,
treat the ghost rider and
9 Dozens of skulls, trophies of dead gunslingers, hang from the mount’s saddle their mount as a single
10 Puffs on a pipe; each puff releases a spectral shape reminiscent of a burning soul entity, operating as one.

Adventure Seed: The PCs

take up with a group of
cowboys and their horses,
only to discover that
their new companions
are not as they seem
and are, in fact,
leading them straight
toward destruction.

On dark nights, onlookers

may see the purple glow
of a ghost rider’s soul
racing across the horizon
as they ride toward
some new catastrophe.

195