RPG Blog Carnival: The Good Neighbors

"Man creates gods in his own image, and the gods which literature has handed down to us, Thor, Bran and Pallas Athene among other, reflect the aspirations, the love of war, honor and poetry of their worshippers who were basically the aristocrats of their respective societes.

However, the people who had no written language, and at whose dwellings the travelling Bards did not call, must have had their own divinities.  They had local gods who looked after their crops, their houses and the vagaries of weather.  These deities could be blamed for tragedies and blessed for good fortune.

While the beliefs in Pantheons of thunder gods, war gods, gods of love and poetry has survived in classical and medieval manuscripts, the simpler rural gods have lived on by means of oral traditions as faeries."
- Brian Froud, Faeries

Localized, pantheistic scraps kept sacred in the hearts of believers through the long, monotheistic night.  Across the globe, wild spirits, house gods, little people and associated folklore punch above their weight in the human subconcious, even in the modern day.  While salt over the shoulder and a bowl of cream may appease your average brownie, the demand for blood and lives runs high as well.  When there is no offering, they take what they're owed.

Taniwha (Maori)
 Living in aquatic depths, Taniwha personify dangerous currents or deceptive breakers.  By lairing in  treachous waters, they function as protective guardians of people and places.  In some traditions they covet a human wife, turning vicious and predatory by envy.
Monster Queen - to possess and control
Powers
Elemental body (Water), Crushing Force, Lair
Harm- Taiaha 2-harm Armor- Soft like water armor-2 Health: 6 Health

Unique Moves
The Taniwha can only be killed in its lair.  If it takes enough damage to die, it disperses instead.
When the hunters miss a roll; the Taniwha reforms and stalks them through the pipes.  On the next miss it attempts to pull one of them through a grate, sink drain, etc. 3-harm (someplace too small for them to fit) and into his Lair.

Leshii (Russian)
A spirit of dark forests, the Leshii delights in leading humanity astray. Whether misleading lights, confusing direction, or outright Faustian bargains; the more people die in his woods,  the more powerful he becomes. After such a long existence, the Leshii now conspires to swallow the world in dark glades and pluck the sun from the sky with conifer claws.

Monster Tempter - to draw others into evil deeds
Powers
Ethereal, Genius Loci, Shapeshifter

Harm-  Primordial Curse 3-harm, close, area,  magic, mark unstable.  Green shoots 2-harm, long, area, messy Armor-  Fallen pine needles and rotten flesh armor-1 Health: 14 Health
Unique Moves
Grant Magical Power. The Leshii may gift a human with magical ability. These sorcerous gifts are wild and strike back at their user on cruel ways. Like a Monkey's Paw.

Kelpie (Scottish)
Occupying the lochs and pools of Scotland, kelpies appear as attractive strangers and drown their would-be paramours. Once submerged they devour everything but the entrails, throwing the fleshy ropes to shore.

Monster Devourer - to consume people
Powers
Aquatic, Shapeshifter, Bound to the Depths
 
Harm- Slimy hoof deals 4 damage Armor- the Kelpie's supernatural nature grants armor-1 Health: 10 Health
Unique Moves
Black Water Honeytrap- The Kelpie approaches people near a body of water with a handsome or beatific mein. Flirting ensues. As soon as they touch, the victim is suddenly riding the fey beast and plunging into the water unable to let go. 

Sodden Brains - Keeping the skulls of its victims, the Kelpie will bargain their knowledge in exchange for terrestrial favors. You must ingest the stuff to obtain the information.

This month's RPG Blog Carnival theme is the Fae, click the image below if you;re interested in the other entries.