In the World of Dark Fantasy, the monstrous Beasts gather into fierce hordes and descend upon the fringes of civilization.  The hordes send raiding parties to ravage the countryside and test the defenses of the outlying kingdoms of men, dwarves, and elves.  No one is safe.

In Beast: the Ravaging, you become the monster that every villager fears.  Your bestial instinct drives you to prove yourself in battle and reap the spoils of war.  You impose your monstrosity upon everything you see, sometimes even your allies, and the kingdoms of civilization quake in fear at your atrocities.

There are many varieties of Beasts; running the gamut from sniveling goblins to enormous giants.  Beast lorekeepers tell stories that their peoples originate from a cabal of gods that were cast from the heavens because the other gods feared their prowess.

The fallen gods were stripped of their divinity, but all their powers had been extracted.  The Fel, as they were known, were determined to restore themselves as gods once again.  Thus the Fel began raiding villages as well as cities, stealing the virgin priestesses of the enemy gods.  The gods of men, dwarves, and elves.

Only the combined might of the armies of the lesser races was strong enough to slay one of the Fel and force the remaining to retreat to the distant mountains and the caverns under them.  And with them they brought the priestesses they had taken.  Soon the priestesses submitted themselves to the Fel and birthed the mighty races of the world.

The Fel’s children, or genos in the bestial tongue, were warped by the power within their fathers’ blood, bestowing upon them a monstrous countenance.  The Beasts quickly multiplied and not even a generation of men had passed before the Fel descended upon civilization with their horde of Beasts and wrought devastation upon the world.

Satisfied with the carnage and chaos they had sown, the Fel took their most savage and powerful children and marched upon the heavens.  They left the rest of their Genos, or Beasts as man calls them, to wreak havoc on what was left of civilization, promising divinity to those who proved themselves worthy.

This was a thousand years ago.  Today the gods are still besieged by the Fel; their children slavering at the gates of heaven.  The world below has not fared any better, as civilization has never fully recovered, and the hordes still ravage the landscape.

There are six Genos, one for each of the remaining Fel.  Each Genos gains a bonus dot in an Attribute chosen from the two Attributes listed in the Bonus section of its description.  Every Genos also has an Attribute their heritage is lacking in.  Thus increasing dots in the Attribute listed in the Weakness section of the Genos’ description cost twice the amount of Experience Points it normally would.  Finally, each Genos has a unique gift inherent in their lineage.  Each Genos receives gains use of the power listed in the Boon section of its description.

Giant

Giants are the Genos of Volakar the Behemoth.  The spawn of Volakar inherited their sire’s huge mass, and tower over the races at ten to eleven feet tall.  Giants look more less like very ugly humans.  A giant usually fills the position of warlord among the hordes, orchestrating strategies and commanding units of Beasts.

Giants tend to gravitate toward the Brute and Soldier Officium because of their strength and durability.  However, despite their poor dexterity, a fair number of giants find themselves as Artillery, hurling boulders.

• Bonus: Presence or Strength.
• Weakness: Dexterity.
• Boon: Enormous Size, giants have a size of 9; giants can roll 9 again on Intimidate dice pools.

Goblin

Goblins are the Genos of Kromj the Vile.  These Beasts stand about the same height as a dwarf, are devoid of hair, and have inky black, spongey skin like that of a frog.  They have long pointed ears that can be as long as a man’s forearm and also have many rows of sharp pointed teeth and sharp yellow claws.  Goblins are known to lick their claws, transferring their poisonous saliva to them.

Goblins are usually found in the Lurker or Skirmisher Officium due to their mobility.  The Controller Officia also includes its fair share of goblin warlocks.

• Bonus: Dexterity or Intelligence.
• Weakness: Wits.
• Boon: Poisonous, goblin saliva is a toxin that inflicts a point of lethal damage for two rounds after a successful attack; gobins can roll 9 again on Craft dice pools.

Kobold

Kobolds are the Genos of Saladon the Hidden.  These smallish humanoids resemble dog-faced men, albeit with patches of scales.  Most Kobolds are no taller than a man’s waist, but some mongrels have interbred with humans, producing stouter offspring.

Kobold are most attuned with the Officium of Controller or Lurker due to their excellent stealth and powerful shamans.  Yet some find themselves in Artillery because of the same thing; stealth and magic.

• Bonus: Dexterity or Wits.
• Weakness: Resolve.
• Boon: Shifty, once per scene a kobold may shift five feet, putting himself in a better position to attack, he gets five additional dice to his attack pool for that turn; kobolds can roll 9 again on Stealth dice pools.

Ogre

Ogres are the Genos of Kazadli the Tyrant.  The fearsome humanoids are all brutish figures standing just a head taller than a  man.  They are formidable opponents on the battlefield where their charges blast through the enemy ranks.

Ogres are very well suited to the Officium of Brute and Soldier due to the strength and prowess.  Some ogres find themselves excellent Skirmishers, making use of their charge repeatedly.

• Bonus: Composure or Strength.
• Weakness: Presence.
• Boon: Charge, if an ogre is not engaged in melee combat, he may charge and opponent and on a successful attack he knocks the opponent prone and deals two additional bruised damage; ogres can roll 9 again on Athletics dice pools.

Orc

Orcs are the Genos of Marrak the Twisted.  Orcs often serve as captains in the hordes, putting their manipulation skills to use by commanding troops.  These boar-faced Beasts are a fearsome sight on the field of war when their rage overtakes them.

Orcs are endeared to the Brute and Controller Officium due to their Berserk boon and Manipulation skills, but also make good Soldiers.

• Bonus: Manipulation or Stamina.
• Weakness: Composure.
• Boon: Berserk, once per scene an orc may Berserk for a number of turns equal to her stamina which allows her to ignore wound penalties and deal 1 additional lethal damage per successful attack; orcs can roll 9 again on Subterfuge dice pools.

Troll

Trolls are the Genos of Haggard the Hideous.  Trolls are slender but tall green-skinned  thugs with long arms.  They inherited their long, hooked nose and warty complexion from their progenator.  They are renowned for their ability to regenerate wounds that would normally be lethal to most mortals.

Trolls are most always Brutes or Artillery Officium, throwing  their deadly handaxes with zeal.  They can also make a fair Soldier.

• Bonus: Resolve or Stamina.
• Weakness: Intelligence.
• Boon: Regeneration, trolls may spend 1 Atrocity to regenerate 1 lethal wound or 2 bruised wounds; trolls can roll 9 again on Survival dice pools.

Listening to: KMFDM – Tohuvabohu – Spit or Swallow

gamingD&Dd20rpgroleplayingdungeons and dragonsworld of darkness