Outer Mutant Priest

Outer Mutant Priest CR 4

XP 1,200
Human cleric of Yog-Sothoth 4
CN Medium aberration (augmented humanoid)
Init +1; Senses Perception +11

DEFENSE

AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 14 (+1 Dex, +1 dodge, +4 natural)
hp 45 (4d8+24)
Fort +10, Ref +2, Will +12
Immune confusion, insanity

OFFENSE

Speed 40 ft.
Melee +1 dagger +6 (1d4+3/19–20), bite +0 (1d6+1 plus grab)
Special Attacks channel negative energy 2/day (DC 11, 2d6), feed
Domain Spell-Like Abilities (CL 4th; concentration +10)

9/day—touch of chaos

Cleric Spells Prepared (CL 4th; concentration +10)

2ndcure moderate wounds, death knell (DC 19), hold person (DC 19), locate objectD, spiritual weapon
1stcommand (DC 18), cure light wounds (2), divine favor, longstriderD, shield of faith
0 (at will)bleed (DC 17), detect magic, light, mending

D Domain spell; Domains Chaos, Travel

STATISTICS

Str 14, Dex 13, Con 18, Int 12, Wis 22, Cha 8
Base Atk +3; CMB +5; CMD 17
Feats Combat Casting, Dodge, Great FortitudeB, Skill Focus (Disguise), ToughnessB
Skills Acrobatics +1 (+5 to jump), Disguise +6, Intimidate +4, Profession (Yog-Sothothery philosopher) +8, Perception +11, Spellcraft +8
Languages Aklo, Common
SQ agile feet (9/day), deformed, magical adept

ECOLOGY

Environment any
Organization solitary
Treasure NPC gear (+1 dagger, other treasure)

An outer mutant is still human enough to be able to disguise itself as human, with a heavy layer of clothing.

Basically humanoid, they possess a human head, arms, and hands, and sometimes other parts. Beyond that, they begin to vary from their mundane source. They always have one or more feeding tendrils somewhere on their torsos. They are most humanoid near the top of their form, and decreasingly so lower down, where they may not be at all recognizable as mortal. Wilbur Whateley of the Dunwich Horror had dinosaur-like legs with circular padded disks for feet, eyes on his hips, and a ring of mouth-tipped proboscises like a belt around his body.

Regardless of their exact mutations, no mutant can pass for human while bare or otherwise revealed.

The outer mutant presented here is a human cleric descended from Yog-Sothoth, only a few years old but already possessing the size and intellect of an adult man. While it has only started to gather its magical power, in short order this mutant will gain additional spellcasting levels and eventually transform into an outer abomination.

Humanity was not meant to delve deeply into the eldritch secrets of the Mythos. While madness and insanity are the typical result of curiosity and exploration into these nightmare topics, some of the most fecund or contagious elements of the Mythos, such as experiments involving past life regression, certain transformative mutagens crafted by the serpentfolk, or the mere presence of Shub-Niggurath can cause twisting and distortion in the flesh as surely as the mind. These events can give rise to the vile and terrible transformations that warp curious unfortunates into outer mutants. Perhaps the most revolting method by which such monstrosities come to be lies with interbreeding between alien monstrosities and humanity. In some cases, the results of such crossbreeding are relatively stable, as in the case of the deep one hybrid or the satyr, but in most cases, particularly those involving impregnation via one of the Great Old Ones or Outer Gods, the result is always one of teratological terror.

Children of the Elder Beings are usually around human size, though they trend toward the larger end of the scale. In Lovecraft’s tale The Dunwich Horror, the interdimensional entity Yog-Sothoth fathers two children upon a wizard’s daughter. One of the children is able to pass for human, at least when wearing long pants and shirts that button up to the neck and wrists, though there is still obviously something wrong (at the age of 12, he stood 7 feet tall). The other child is an oftinvisible mix of tentacles and conjoined limbs bigger than an elephant.

These entities fall into three broad categories. First are the outer mutants, representing those hybrids in which the human side features most prominently. The outer spawn represent the other end of the spectrum: for instance, the colossal insect/octopus thing that appears at the end of the Dunwich Horror. Outer abominations fall between these two extremes into a sort of intermediate stage. Children of the Elder Beings often progress inevitably through these stages, from mutant to abomination to spawn, the transitions marked by awful trauma and burgeoning evil.

There is more to these beings than grotesque monstrosity. The Outer Gods spawn them not out of whim but to a purpose, and often a terrible one. Yog-Sothoth and the other Outer Gods seek constantly to break through into mortal planes for unthinkable purposes. These entities contact humans and other races (and can be contacted in return), and often mingle their own vile heritage with lesser beings. The result, in every case, is a distorted monstrosity, varying greatly in power and size.

This is the fundamental truth behind the outer mutants, abominations, and spawns: they constantly plot, scheme, and work toward opening gateways to bring the Outer Gods to the world to rule again and bring about the final apocalypse. They make ideal opponents for a horror-based campaign in which the heroes must stop them in order to save the world or universe itself.

An outer mutant is an individual who seems, at least externally, to be more human than outside. When heavily dressed to conceal their mutations, they can pass for human (or a member of whatever race the Outer God bred with to create them). Upon close inspection, however, the truth is easily revealed: tentacles, gills or fins, and hexagonal scales are just a few of the variations found among their kind.

Mutants always need to feed on blood and soul energy as well as normal provender, and typically have a secret proboscis or mouth somewhere on their body to drain this. Mutants don’t require much blood— not enough to kill their host—so they may rely on volunteers. Mutants grow rapidly, usually reaching the size of an adult human before the age of 5. By the age of 15, mutants can be 3 meters tall or more, and this growth does not stop throughout their lives.

Mutants develop the character traits of their “host race,” plus greatly enhanced intelligence and magic aptitude from the Elder Being that gave them life. Many cults adopt a mutant as their destined leader, dedicating themselves to guiding, training, and protecting the mutant. Some mutants are bred and raised in secret at the hands of a single insane magician—rather than a cult—who may or may not be that mutant’s mortal parent.

As a mutant continues to grow and gain experience, eventually it will transform into the next stage, the outer abomination. In most cases, a mutant devoutly desires this transformation, and will lead its gang of cultists on adventures and rituals to bring this about as quickly as possible.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Sandy Petersen’s Cthulhu Mythos, © 2017, Petersen Games; Authors: Sandy Petersen, Arthur Petersen, Ian Starcher.

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