N is for Nurgle (Beasts of)
I have run The Oldenhaller Contract many times, usually at gaming conventions. It's amazing how different groups run through the same adventure. One thing that's not usually different, however, is how easily the group overcomes the last encounter: Nurgle cultists and the Beast of Nurgle.
The Beast of Nurgle is a 5 foot tall snail-like creature with suckers instead of a head. It also has a whip-like tail. It oozes a putrid slime behind it that can cause the rot. The suckers are said to be "immensely powerful," however, and here's where things start to fall apart, the creature only has a strength of 3...which is the strength of the average character.
What the beast does have going for it is that damage from the suckers ignores armor. Also, each sucker may cause paralyzation if the character fails a poison test. The whip-like tail is for lassoing paralyzed victims.
In my experience, the beast hardly hits the characters. It only has a weapon skill of 33. Combine that with only 15 wounds, and it usually only lasts a round against a group of PCs. This is if, and only if, the cultist in the last room finishes summoning it. In my experience, the PCs have disrupted the summoning, if not out-rightly killing the cultists, before the spell is finished.
The Beast of Nurgle is a 5 foot tall snail-like creature with suckers instead of a head. It also has a whip-like tail. It oozes a putrid slime behind it that can cause the rot. The suckers are said to be "immensely powerful," however, and here's where things start to fall apart, the creature only has a strength of 3...which is the strength of the average character.
What the beast does have going for it is that damage from the suckers ignores armor. Also, each sucker may cause paralyzation if the character fails a poison test. The whip-like tail is for lassoing paralyzed victims.
In my experience, the beast hardly hits the characters. It only has a weapon skill of 33. Combine that with only 15 wounds, and it usually only lasts a round against a group of PCs. This is if, and only if, the cultist in the last room finishes summoning it. In my experience, the PCs have disrupted the summoning, if not out-rightly killing the cultists, before the spell is finished.