Hollow Man 5 (15)

Old Gods of Appalachia

By light of day, and under control of their masters, well, the Hollow Men were precise killers, cleaners, enforcers, and foot soldiers—but if they traveled too far from home without a minder, or they slipped the leash entirely, there had been tornadoes known to do less damage.
 

Through dark pacts with Those Who Sleep Beneath, E.P. Barrow (of Barrow Mineral Resources) has the power to create Hollow Men— supernatural agents that he uses to enforce his will and protect his assets. Hollow Men are people who have been emptied out, body and mind, and filled with a new power and a new darkness.

By day, they look like normal people, usually dressed in dark clothing—work clothes, a business suit, or whatever their tasks require. Each has a set of unique abilities he can use at night, usually requiring him to assume a monstrous form specific to him.

Hollow Men are dead people, reanimated and sustained by evil power. Their hearts don't beat and their blood doesn't flow, but unlike a corpse they don't deteriorate. The farther they get from the Barrow home office, the more violent and dangerous they become, showing no restraint and no regard for property damage or lives lost.

The Barrow family has people (such as Mr. Carlisle and Mr. Werden) who can calm, stabilize, or "ground" a Hollow Man at risk of going berserk, or soothe one that has lost control. It's possible that there are other people in the region who have the ability to create Hollow Men through some pact of their own.

Belongs To: The Inner Dark (Barrow family)

Motive: Serve the Barrows

Environment: Anywhere the Barrows need them to be

Health: 15

Damage Inflicted: Moderate wound (5 points)

Armor: 1

Movement: Short

Modifications: Intellect defense and resisting wards as level 3; Might-based tasks as level 6

Combat: Hollow Men often use their brute strength in combat, either wielding melee weapons or just using their fists. Each can transform into a monstrous creature, granting them a set of additional abilities, such as one of the following.

• Armored Juggernaut: Thickened body made of concrete and plaster, with glowing eyes and a crown of horns. Armor 3; inflicts a moderate wound (6 points).
• Beast-Man: Hairy and large, face resembles a pig. Bite inflicts a major wound (8 points); able to swallow nearly half a human body in one bite.
• Breathstealer: Mouth stretches impossibly wide, reinforced with rows of bones to hold it open, lined with serrated black teeth. As an action, he can draw the air from around a person within short range, inflicting damage, moving them one step down the damage track each round, and extinguishing any fires within immediate range of them. Can hurl two destructive blasts of wind each round, inflicting damage on solid or ghostly creatures.
• Shadowbender: A humanoid shape of nightmarish writhing darkness. As an action, he can wrap shadows around himself to turn invisible and silent (stealth as level 6), lasting until he attacks or chooses to reveal himself. As an action, he can animate the shadows of up to about a dozen people within short range, commanding them to attack for one minute.
• Smoke-razor: Nine feet (3 m) tall, body made of smoke and razors, with hand bones elongating into blades. As an action, he can inflict a slashing wound at short range as if striking the target. As an action, he can fully become smoke, allowing him to fly a short distance each round and pass through narrow spaces.

Hollow Men are supernatural creatures, and wards affect them as such. Although they don't have the gift, they do have the ability to recognize other creatures of the Inner Dark that are in a human shape.

A Hollow Man recovers from nonlethal injuries in just a day or two.

The farther a Hollow Man is from Barrow, the more likely he is to lose control and become a berserk thing, easing all physical tasks but hindering all mental tasks by four steps; this lasts until sunrise.

Interaction: Hollow Men have all of the memories and skills of their time as regular people. They are loyal to (and fearful of) the Barrows, and persuading one to betray the family is difficult (level 8 persuasion task). They might negotiate for something they want, usually through intimidation or promising not to harm someone.

Use: An unassuming bureaucrat from Barrow Mineral Resources has an unusually aggressive bodyguard or driver. One or two Hollow Men show up to deal with someone who has been making trouble for the Barrows.

Loot: Hollow Men don't have any particular proficiency with cyphers or artifacts, and usually rely on their powers, reputation, and money. One might carry an interesting object, whether it's needed for their mission or being transported to their bosses.

Connection: A character had an unpleasant interaction with this particular Hollow Man in the past. The character remembers the person from before they were turned into a Hollow Man.

GM Intrusion: The Hollow Man uses his great strength to destroy an obstacle or barrier, or (on a character's failed Might defense roll) a piece of equipment the character is using.
The Hollow Man uses a supernatural ability in an unusual way or to augment an attack, easing his task by two steps.

Shadow creature: level 3; Armor 3; semi-solid fist inflicts a moderate wound (4 points); flies an immediate distance each round