Shriek Fiend 6 (18)

Gunslinger Knights

Most creatures funneled to Sancara via the storms howl, growl, or otherwise audibly announce themselves. None sound as horrible as the shriek fiend, whose screams are born of the death cries of the dozens of corpses each fiend is composed of. Whether fashioned by the Veen or one of the inspirations for Veen necromancy, shriek fiends somewhat resemble—at least in overall shape—wolves, though wolves that stand 9 feet (3 m) tall at the shoulder. Hearing them howl from a distance is enough to cause palpitations, but when they close, their shrieks can stop hearts and engines alike.

The corpses composing a shriek fiend are random, whatever was nearby when a storm struck: dead sheep, gophers, cattle, other creatures of the Crawling Deeps, usually at least a few Sancarans, and possibly a Knight or two of the Order.

Motive: Death

Environment: In, near, and after Fundament Storms; alone or hunting as a pair, or accompanying a Veen handler (who keeps a releasable muzzle on the fiend)

Health: 33

Damage Inflicted: Moderate wound (7 points)

Armor: 1

Movement: Long

Modifications: Speed defense as level 4 due to large size

Combat: A shriek fiend can bite.

A shriek fiend also has the following options.

• Corpse Merge: As its action, a shriek fiend can absorb a corpse in immediate range, immediately granting the fiend 10 health. It can also attempt o merge with a helpless creature, even if the creature isn't dead. A PC who succeeds on a Might defense roll resists this fate. Those who fail are pulled into the shriek fiend's body, and beginning the following round, they descend one step on the damage track each round unless they succeed on a Might roll as their action to pull free.
• Killing Howl: As its action, the shriek fiend howls. Those within long range must succeed on a Might defense roll or take 7 points of Speed damage (ignores Armor) as their flesh ripples and rots in necromantic harmony. The shriek fiend can't use this ability again until it has absorbed a corpse.
• Stagger Steed: As its action, the shriek fiend bellows like an engine's final scream, which surges through the systems of crafted steeds and tooled cyphers within long range. Objects whose level is 6 or less are disabled. Fixing a steed or tooled cypher requires a successful difficulty 6 repair task. The shriek fiend can't use this ability again until it has absorbed a corpse.

Interaction: Shriek fiends have little agency—they hunt, kill, howl, and merge.

Use: As PC Knights race to respond to a summons, their steeds suddenly go dead in response to a distant howl. On the horizon, something wolflike lopes into view.

GM Intrusion: When their steed unexpectedly goes dead, the character is hurled from the saddle, taking 6 damage as they tumble and slide to a stop.