THE BEAST-BOOK: PENAGOL


Beast-Book Entries
[The Beast-Book] [Penagol]


A Night Much Like This
"It was a night much like this one, children. The wind blew through the trees, the moon was full and bright. Little Penny, who never went to sleep on time, had been tucked in. Just like all of you. But Little Penny was a bad little child. She closed her eyes and pretended to snore so her mother would let her be.

"She waited then, pretending to sleep, until everyone else had gone to bed. Opening her little eyes, Little Penny looked around in the moonlight. She snuck out of bed and crept to the larder. Little Penny was eating everyone else's food! What do you think of that! And just then, from outside the window, came a scratchy whisper.

" 'Penny Penny, why are you up? Why are you in the larder? Share with me and I'll never tell!'

"Little Penny was frightened of the voice, but even more afraid of how angry her family would be if they caught her in the larder! She gathered up some crab apples and cheese, and went to the door. The moon cast a shadow over the doorstop, and poor Little Penny could not quite see the whispering stranger. All Little Penny could see was the white glitter of two round eyes.

" 'Penny Penny, why do you stand there? Come out and eat with me and I'll never tell!'

"So Little Penny left her home and closed the door behind her. And that was the last anyone heard of Little Penny."

Nighttime story told often by Agnite Breeders

The Peng'lan
Clad in naught but Luna's shade,
Peng'lan follows those who hate.
Creeping, crawling, gnashing, gnawing.
Eyes, blue flame,
And Blood-soak'd mane,
Claws, two iv'ry knives.

Burden'd by the World Before,
Peng'lan scratches at your door.
Gnashing, gnawing, creeping, crawling.
Ribs, lay'd bare,
Breath, chills air,
Teeth, with blood and ichor, rife.

Through the door and up the stair,
'What's that whisp'ring rising there?'
A slith'ring, rasping, gasping blight,
The Peng'lan feasts that night.

The Peng'lan, copied into the Beast-Book from an unkown source


Penagol
Known by many names, such as Penny-Gaggle to the Agnites and wampyr to the Keepers, penagols are a shadowy nightmare creature featured in many scary tales. Though accounts of penagols differ greatly, some common themes include an aversion to light, compulsive behaviors (such as counting spilled beans or arranging bottles), and a dread of the Fatimas. While many believe that penagols exist only in the frightened minds of children, a few explorers bear scars they say prove otherwise.

It is up to the Weaver as to the true nature of penagols, be they Z'bri creations, creatures of the imagination, or something else. Weavers may even wish to never reveal the true nature of the creatures, leaving Players confused and terrified. The statistics below are a suggestion for a "generic" penagol. Creating unique strengths and weaknesses for individual penagols is encouraged.

Attributes

AGI +2 BLD -2 FIT +2 INS +4 PER +3

WIL +3 STR 0 HEA +3 STA 30 UD 1

Skills

Athletics (Climbing) 1/+2
Combat Sense 2/+3
Dodge 2/+2
Hand-to-Hand 2/+2
Notice (Tracking) 2/+3
Sneak 4/+2


Special Abilities
Bite (x6 damage), Claws (x8 damage)

Special Disadvantages
Suffers damage from exposure to a light source as if the penagol was touching it. Sunlight has Intensity 25. For example, a penagol exposed to the light of a bonfire would suffer an Intensity 7 burn. Moonlight has no effect.

If something small and countable (beans or pebbles, for example) has been strewn in a penagol's path, the penagol must spend at least an hour counting them. The penagol may only stop if attacked or must retreat an impending light source, such as the rising sun.