Category:Markovian Broken One

This section contains netbook-canon info from netbooks

Markovian broken ones are the product of the highly advanced and deeply warped anatomical, physiological and surgical knowledge of Frantisek Markov. He transfigures animals into semblances of men.

Creator

Andrew Wyatt

Andrew Wyatt's Introduction

The Realm of Dread is home to many men that can claim an astonishing understanding of medicine and natural philosophy. However, in one field no sage or physician — whether renowned and respected or obscure and disreputable — is the equal of the madman Frantisek Markov: the anatomy and physiology of animals.

Through decades of observation, dissection, vivisection and arduous experimentation, Frantisek Markov has nearly perfected an abominable procedure for the transformation of an animal into an appalling creature with a suggestion of humanity. This procedure involves no arcane or divine magic, but the agonizing reconstruction of an entire organism’s morphology through surgical and alchemical techniques. It demands the technical genius of a craftsman, the diligence and patience of a physician, and the cold detachment of a hog slaughterer. Unfortunately, Markov possesses all of these traits in spades.

Denizens of Darkness presents the broken one, a monster that can be used to represent the horrid offspring of Markov’s procedure. Alternatively, DM’s may wish to use the template presented here to create unique broken ones based on the animals in the Monster Manual. This template represents a typical Markovian broken one, whose animal origins are readily apparent. From time to time, Markov has managed to produce creatures that are very nearly human. These wretched souls are best represented by normal human characters, though their type remains “aberration”. Unfortunately, these nearly flawless experiments degenerate into normal Markovian broken ones in 6d10 days, as their feral physical traits gradually reemerge. To Markov’s supreme frustration, he has not yet found halt this regression entirely, though he can reverse it by subjecting the creature to another cycle of surgeries (see Secrets of the Dread Realms).

Markovian broken ones are humanoid creatures with the attributes of an animal blended in an awful fashion with those of a man. Unlike some broken ones, those created by Markov always have the characteristics of a single animal. Their flesh is covered in fur or scales, and their overall appearance echoes their original shape in a most disturbing fashion. They tend to be less malformed than other broken ones, though their morphology always reflects the limits of their animal origins placed on the humanoid frame. Thus, a boar broken one has short, awkward limbs, a massive torso, and rudimentary fingers that suggest cloven hooves. Though their appearance reflects a tireless attempt at symmetry on Markov’s part, hideous surgical scars always mar the flesh of his broken ones.

Markovian broken ones speak a horrifying pidgin of Balok and pained animal sounds. Their intelligibility is not assisted by their puffy, makeshift lips, or by tongues, vocal cords and nasal passages rendered raw and misshapen by surgery.

Andrew Wyatt's Creating a Markovian Broken One

“Markovian broken one” is a template that can be added to any animal of Small through Large size that has limbs and an internal skeleton (referred to hereafter as the “base animal”). The creature’s type changes to “aberration” and its size changes to Medium-size. A Markovian broken one uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

Speed: The base animal’s speed changes to 30 ft. If the base animal does not have a normal land speed (i.e. it only has a burrow, climb, fly, and/or swim speed), it gains a land speed of 30 ft. If the base animal has a burrow, climb, or swim speed, that speed is changed to half its normal value. If the base animal has a fly speed, it loses that form of movement.

Attacks: The broken one retains the natural attacks of the base animal, though the damage dealt by those attacks may be changed. Additionally, the broken one may now wield weapons as a humanoid would. A broken one that attacks with its natural weapons and wielded weapons in the same round suffers the normal –5 penalty, as if the wielded weapon were a secondary natural weapon. This penalty is reduced to –2 if the broken one has the Multiattack feat, which can be taken even if the broken one has less than three natural weapons. Obviously, a broken one that is carrying or wielding items cannot use its claw attacks or certain slam attacks. Broken ones are automatically proficient in the following weapons: dagger, sickle, club, halfspear, quarterstaff, shortspear, dart, sling, javelin, throwing axe, handaxe, greatclub, and shortbow.

Damage: The base damage dealt by a broken one’s natural weapons changes to the values described in the table below:

Attack Type Damage
Bite 1d4
Claw 1d4
Gore 1d6
Slam, Butt, Tail Slap, Hoof 1d3

Face/Reach: Changes to 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft.

Special Attacks: The broken one retains any special attacks possessed by the base animal. Rake attacks use the altered claw damage listed above.

Special Qualities: The broken one retains any special qualities possessed by the base animal, and also gains those listed below.

Fast Healing (Su): Broken ones have fast healing 1.

Abilities: Increase from the base animal as follows: Str +4, Dex –2, Con +8, Int +6, Cha +6.

Skills: Broken ones receive 12 extra skill points due to the awakening of their sentient minds. Any skills listed in the base animal’s statistics may be purchased as class skills with these extra skill points. The following skills may also be purchased as class skills if they are not already listed in the base animal’s entry: Animal Empathy, Balance, Climb, Craft, Handle Animal, Heal, Hide, Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge (nature), Listen, Move Silently, Spot, Swim, and Wilderness Lore. All other skills are considered cross-class skills of the purpose of spending these extra skill points. If the broken one later advances in a character class, its purchases skills as a normal character of that class would.

Feats: Broken ones gain the Alertness, Endurance, and Improved Initiative feats if they do not already possess them.

Climate/Terrain: Warm forest, hills, and mountains Organization: Solitary, pair, gang (3–6), band (7–12 plus 1 petty chief of 2nd-4th level), or tribe (20–30 plus 2 petty chiefs of 2nd-4th level and 1 chief of 5th-7th level)

Challenge Rating: As the base animal +1

Treasure: No coins; 50% goods (no metal objects); 50% items (no metal objects)

Alignment: Usually neutral evil

Advancement: By character class

Andrew Wyatt's Markovian Broken One Characters

A Markovian broken one’s favored class is barbarian. Nearly all Markovian broken ones that advance in a character class are barbarians, though adepts, druids, and rangers have been known to occur. Other classes are virtually unheard of.

Andrew Wyatt's Sample Markovian Broken One

The example uses a cheetah as the base animal.

Cheetah Markovian Broken One Medium-Size Aberration
Hit Dice: 3d8+18 (31 hp)
Initiative: +7 (+3 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative)
Speed: 30 ft.
AC: 14 (+3 Dex, +1 natural)
Attacks: Bite +7 melee, 2 claws +2 melee; or stone handaxe +7 melee; or stone shortbow +5 ranged
Damage: Bite 1d4+5, claw 1d4+2; stone handaxe 1d6+4; stone shortbow 1d6–1
Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Trip
Special Qualities: Sprint, fast healing 1
Saves: Fort +9, Dex +6, Will +2
Abilities: Str 20, Dex 17, Con 23, Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 12
Skills: Climb +10, Hide +6, Jump +10, Listen +7, Move Silently +7, Spot +7, Wilderness Lore +5
Feats: Alertness, Endurance, Improved Initiative, Weapon Finesse (bite, claw)
Sprint (Ex): A cheetah broken one’s sprint speed is 300 feet.
Challenge Rating: 3

References

Book of Sacrifice, p148-149

Descriptive Text

This section contains Homebrew non-canon info, created by fans

Dear Matilda,

I hope this reaches you and I want you to know that I love you. We have been shipwrecked with no hope for rescue. For three days now we have stayed on the beach, hoping to see a ship on the horizon.

They came for Dieter yesterday, we found his clothes shreded as if by an animal, blood everywhere, but only the footprints of men around where he was taken. By Ezra, we saw one of them. It looked like a cat, but walked like a man, it growled like a cat, but spoke like a man. Oh, my Matilda, it was an abomination unto Ezra.

Food runs low, but some of the men think that they have seen a hut in the jungle. We go now, hoping to find respite. I write this and cast it into the ocean, hoping it will reach you.

Know that I love you now and always will.

- Message found in a bottle in the Sea of Sorrows, the name at the end smeared away.^[1]

References