Tanar'ri, Goristro

Melee RV 10

Coordination RV 6

Brawn RV 10

Fortitude RV 20

Intellect RV 4

Awareness RV 4

Willpower RV 20

Lifestyle RV 0

Repute n/a

Health: Fortune:

46 28

Origin:

Goristroi are hulking behemoths, gigantic demonic monsters hailing from the Abyss. These dim-witted terrors appear like a strange cross between a bison and a man, and possess staggering strength and physical capabilities to counter their lack of intelligence.

Known Powers:

Tanar'ri Physique: the goristroi are greater tanar'ri, powerful demonic beasts hailing from the infinite planes of the Abyss. As are all other greater tanar'ri, the immense goristroi are truly planar entities, and possess these potent tanar'ric capabilities:

* Darkness: all tanar'ri have the ability to share the inherent darkness of their very souls with the world at large. This rudimentary power functions at but rank value 4, but basically 'blacks out' the sector a goristro currently occupies (it works within Near range).

* Damage Reduction / Magic: though they are not immune to the effects of magic, goristro are extremely resistant to spells and magical energies. When exposed to any such attack, a goristro may reduce its intensity by 3 RS - before any other defenses apply.

* Damage Reduction / Physical Attack: on top of the above, goristro are incredibly tough against most conventional assaults you'll encounter in the Abyss. They reduce physical damage by 1 RS, in addition to the protection provided by their sheer size.

* Dimensional Transit: in addition to being able to teleport, tanar'ri can transition themselves between planes of existence. They may do so with rank value 10 ability, though on a failed ACT roll dimensionally transiting tanar'ri may be subject to error, per a failed teleport. *

* Infravision: many of the Abyss' countless layers are dark beyond mortal ken, and have never seen the light (physically or otherwise). As such, all tanar'ri have evolved the ability to see by heat as well as by visible light, and can do so with rank value 10 ability.

* Invulnerability to Cold, Fire, Heat, and Poison: unlike most tanar'ri, the goristroi have a slightly different set of invulnerabilities. While they're not immune to electricity, goristro are invulnerable to cold - on top of the usual fire, heat and poison invulnerabilities.

* Portal Sense: planar beings all, goristroi have the ability to perceive the various rifts that dot the planescape of the multiverse. Most of these doorways are invisible to the naked eye, but all goristroi can spy them with ease, doing so with rank value 20 ability.

* Telepathy: almost all tanar'ri are able to communicate directly from mind to mind - a vital skill when so few speak the same tongue. They can usually broadcast and receive thoughts at rank value 6, enough to get their point across when necessary.

* Teleportation: chaotic creatures all, the tanar'ri can bend space itself to their will. All tanar'ri possess the power to teleport with rank value 30 ability, and can avoid teleportation's usual side effects while transporting themselves within the same plane of existence. *

Clinging: goristroi are particularly adept at ascending vertical surfaces. Thanks to their supernatural claws (which themselves do no damage), goristroi may do this with rank value 20 ability, meaning they only have problems with intentionally slick surfaces.

Emotion Control / Fear: like many tanar'ri, goristroi can induce uncontrollable, supernatural fear in an opponent. This power works with rank value 20 might, and while it can only affect one target at a time, a goristro can wield this power within Near range (six sectors).

Growth: the goristroi are huge. They stand at anywhere from 21 to 24 feet tall, giving them this power (after a fashion) at rank value 10. Standing at four times a normal human's size, they possess a +2 size factor against beings of such 'normal' stature.

In other words, a goristro gains the benefit of +2 RS damage and 2 RS of damage reduction against normal-sized foes, though they suffer a -2 RS to hit such beings. On the other hand, normal-sized foes gain a +2 RS to hit a goristro, whether with melee or ranged attacks.

Horns: goristroi all have large, bison-like horns protruding from their foreheads. They may use these devastating weapons to inflict their Brawn value +1 RS in either Bashing or Slashing damage (either as rams or as skewers), depending.

Levitation: in addition to their incredible climbing ability, goristroi all have the power to levitate. They may do this with rank value 2 ability, allowing them to ascend or descend safely at about fifteen miles per hour - slow, but steady!

Magic Sense: goristroi have the ability to sense ambient magic in their environment. They may do so with rank value 6 ability, which lets them spot magical items, beings, and other phenomena within Near distance of their person (two sectors).

Nonapparent Vision: the goristroi have a limited form of this power, which allows them to perceive items that have been rendered invisible to conventional light spectra. This power works at rank value 6, complementing their infravision quite nicely.

Regeneration: goristro heal fast - very fast. What little damage does get through to them directly heals at an accelerated rate. They possess this power at rank value 10, meaning that they heal one lost Health point each turn, assuming no continuous damage like burning.

Limitations / Enhancements:

Susceptibility: like all tanar'ri, goristroi are weak against the use of cold-wrought iron weapons, as well as holy water and weapons. Their supernatural defenses are ineffective against such assaults, which inflict at least a quarter of their maximum Health in damage.

Equipment:

Citadel Helmets: goristroi are often used as living siege engines in Abyssal armies. They wear a large helmet that covers their head and shoulders to serve in this capacity, a sort of platform that allows two to four tanar'ri to ride atop the goristro and direct its actions.

Collars: those goristro who are ruled by an Abyssal lord most often wear a magical collar which demonstrates their servitude. These mystic devices also allow the masters of the goristroi to monitor their whereabouts at all times.

Quirks:

Phobia / Falling: goristroi are all deathly afraid of falling, though they're almost intransigent otherwise. If under imminent threat of falling, or actually in the midst of a fall, they must pass a Willpower ACT at -2 RS to avoid a complete panic.

Unattractive 2: goristroi are hideous inhuman monstrosities! Most entities react very negatively to goristroi, even before you consider their fear powers, and goristroi are at a -4 RS to all NPC reactions when interacting with humanoid beings of any kind (even other tanar'ri).

Skills:

(none)

Characteristics:

Goristro are slow, lumbering brutes. They do what they are told by more powerful tanar'ri because they simply don't know better, and their bestial natures are a great fit for conflict in the Abyss and beyond. They are highly adaptable, but not all that clever when you get down to it.

Appearance:

Goristroi are huge! They typically stand anywhere between twenty-one and twenty-four foot tall. They appear to be a cross between a man and a bison, with long, ape-like arms and immense horns. They walk stooped, and can climb almost any surface with their dull, gripping claws.

Goristroi are covered in thin fur, which may be of various coloration, ranging from dark brown to a sort of sickly green all the way to purplish-gray.

Ecological Niche:

A goristro is incredibly powerful, yet just as slow in the head. They can inflict extreme damage on a local ecosystem, for they are voracious carnivores, and will eat anything they think they can get away with, from errant heroes to other, lesser tanar'ri who cross them.

Goristroi rarely, if ever, are found free. While they can occur on almost any level of the Abyss, goristroi are most often enslaved by Abyssal lords and other would-be tyrants, who use them as guardians, shock troops and walking siege engines.

Once captive, a goristro is not allowed to make any choices for itself, instead rampaging at its master's whim. Even mating is out of their control, for enslaved goristroi are carefully mated to 'improve the breed' - or to at least increase their numbers.

The odd thing is that goristroi do not rage against these conditions. They seem perfectly content to live a life of servitude, possibly because a powerful enough Abyssal lord gives them everything they could possibly want anyway. Even if they eat said lord out of house and home.

Outside of breeding, goristro do occur as a result of less powerful tanar'ri ascending to a goristro's level of power. Also, they can spontaneously manifest in the Abyss as well, due to its chaotic nature. The Abyss is infinite, after all, and not every goristro can be accounted for.

Notes:

* Depending on which version of the Planescape lore you wish to use, the goristroi (along with the rest of the tanar'ri) may not have access to these powers any longer, having lost them due to yugoloth meddling. Their presence is at the discretion of the individual Gamemaster.

Extra Goodies:

Return to the Bestiary main page!

Interested in using Technoholic content in your own project? Please read this beforehand!