Description
Narmeg are a fusion of flesh and machine, appearing as bio-mechanical quadrupedal beasts, with the ability to ‘smell’ numenera items. The Narmeg appear to be somewhere between a dog and a monkey, with a canine-like body, ape-like face and opposable ‘thumbs’ on it’s fore-paws, and tend to be rather thin and small (around 3 feet long and 1.5 feet tall), belying their actual strength. Further the creatures have various body parts, which differs from individual to individual, replaced by non-organic components.
Narmeg generally group together to form a pack, however they do not work well together and form something more akin to a disorganised mob than any structured group. Groups of Narmeg are night time scavengers, typically living on the fringe of some ecosystem (be it a town, forest, desert) where they will take whatever they can get. One aspect of the creatures that aids in this approach is their ‘flash-step’ ability, where the creature is capable of moving at incredible speeds for a Short distance, seemingly in two places at once for a brief moment.
Narmeg value numenera items above most anything else, hunting the items down even at the endangerment of their own lives. When a Narmeg acquires a numenera item, they will quickly consume the device. After a Narmeg has consumed a numenera item it will pause to howl in a jittering/undulating pattern; following which the Narmeg that consumed the device, and any in range to hear the howl will have access the the items capabilities and abilities as it wishes.
Details
- Level:
- 3 (9)
- Motive:
- Hunts for numenera
- Environment:
- The fringe of any and all possible ecosystems
- Health:
- 9
- Damage:
- 3
- Armor:
- 1
- Movement:
- Short
- Modifications:
Speed as level 7 when ‘flash-stepping’, climbs and defends from Esoteries as Level 4, resists mental effects as Level 2, and the difficulty for hiding from a Narmeg is Level 2 + the number of numenera the player is carrying.
- Combat:
Narmeg attack by slashing at the players with their fore-claws dealing 3 points of damage.
Narmeg may make a grab for a player’s cypher or artifact, requiring a level 4 Speed Defense roll to avoid. If a player fails this roll then the Narmeg consumes the device and on it’s next action performs it’s howl. After the howl, the Narmeg – and all other Narmeg that heard the howl – will have unlimited access to the cypher/artifact’s effect.
A Narmeg may use it’s ‘flash-step’ to strike into a foe. This is a level 7 Speed Defense roll to avoid dealing 5 points of damage ignoring 2 Armour (due to being a high speed collision). This attack leaves the Narmeg dazed until the end of it’s next turn.
- Interaction:
Narmeg are beasts and behave as such. Narmeg typically treasure their own safety and try to avoid combat if possible. However if the players have a large quantity of numenera items on them then the Narmeg will be more willing to stay and fight, or even engage in combat. Also Narmeg have a level of loyalty to their group and may be willing to endanger their lives if a large portion of their group is in danger.
- Use:
The village you visit is having trouble with Narmeg on the outskirts stealing numenera items during the night. The Mayor of the town asks you deal with the menace, but could be there more to this than there first appears? Narmeg work well as ‘minions’ to a stronger willed creature with mental capabilities, able to override their self-preservation instincts for it’s own gain.
- Loot:
A group of Narmeg will typically have 1d4 Cyphers that can be harvested from their remains. If a Narmeg has consumed an artifact that artifact will be recoverable, but two depletion rolls must be performed.