Churel

CHUREL by Reagren Wright

Since the beginning of history, women have call upon fertility and childbirth deities to help them while pregnant and survive the ordeal of labor. On those occasions where women have forsaken this practice, some have experienced unnatural complications that result in the mother dying during the delivery. According to various religious doctrines, the dead mother must be buried before nightfall facedown or her grave must be filled with stones or thorns. The body can be cremated but the ashes must be poured into a container full of holy water and the child (if it has survived) must bathe in it. If this practice is not followed exactly, in thirty- six hours, the mother returned to the world of the living as an undead horror called a Churel. These monsters are vicious and vengeful. They are horrible in appearance, possessing sagging breasts, sharp long teeth, thick ugly lips, unkempt hair, and a black tongue. Their skin is pale white in the front, and black as night in the back. They hate life and all things of beauty, having been denied the greatest joy in life. They take their vengeances out on their families first with the sole purpose of finding their surviving child and then raising it on their own. The other family members will be slaughtered. Their blood and flesh will be feasted upon both by mother who in return will allow her infant to suckle from her, thus turning the child into an abomination like herself. Together mother and child will continue to bring terror and fear to the land of the living, as they punish those with life and happiness, a pleasure they are forever denied.
Should the infant die as well, the mother will still be as savage as ever, but she will seek out an infant, kill and devour the true parents, and raise the infant as her own. Hiding the mother’s child only causes her to seek it out. Nothing will stop her from reuniting with her child, only death will keep her at bay permanently.
Like most undead, Churel avoid sunlight, coming out only at night. During daylight hours, they bury themselves in the dirt and revert to their corpse like state. Once the sun sets, they unearth themselves and seek out fresh meat and/or search for their lost infant. Destroying them is only possible by decapitating the monster and driving iron nails through the palms of her hands and burying the monster. If the iron nails are not used, the undead mother will return to life the following night fall. If the body is incinerated and not buried, once again the undead nightmare returns. Sunlight permanently destroys her. Killing the infant whether alive or undead will not stop her. She will merely seek out another. The Churel seek to have only one child at any given time, but if the Churel gave birth to twins, they she must have both or she will seek out two infants.

Race.: Undead

Alignments: Miscreant and Diabolic only.

The Eight Attributes: I.Q. 1D6+6, M.E. 1D6+8, M.A. 1D4, P.S. 2D6+13 (supernatural), P.P. 2D6+10, P.E. 2D6+10, P.B. 1D6, Spd 2D6+8 (+10 when digging).

Hit Points: P.E. attribute number x3.

S.D.C.: P.E. attribute number +30

Natural A.R.: 10

Horror Factor/Awe: 14; for former family member 16.

P.P.E.: 2D4.

Skills: Climbing 80%/70%, Land Navigation 80%, Swimming 60%, Detect Concealment 65%, Cook 50%, and Sew 50%.

Natural Abilities: Nightvision 1000 feet (305 m) and bio-regenerate at the rage of 2D6 hit points/S.D.C. per melee round, magically understands and speaks all languages at 92%, the sickness bite (see below), sense and locate the exact position of own infant up to 300 miles (480 km) away, smell infants and children under the age of three up to three miles (4.8 km) away, and track infants and children under age three by smell 70%.

Attacks Per Melee: Four

Damage: P.S. under 21: Restrained Punch 1D4, Full Strength Punch 2D6, Claw Strike 3D6+2, Power Punch (counts as two attacks), 4D6, Bite 1D6 plus saving throw vs. disease (15 or better). Failure means within 3 hours suffer the same effect as a 5th level sickness spell except one can die from it losing 1D6 hit points a day!!! P.S. over 21: Restrained Punch 1D6, Full Strength Punch 3D6, Claw Strike 4D6+4, Power Punch (counts as two attacks), 6D6, Bite 2D4+1 plus saving throw vs. disease (15 or better). Failure means within 3 hours suffer the same effect as a 5th level sickness spell except one can die from it losing 1D6+2 hit points a day!!! Or by weapon, but most prefer to rely on their claws and teeth.

Bonuses: +1 to initiative, +2 to strike and parry, +1 to dodge, +2 to disarm, +9 to save vs. Horror Factor.

Vulnerabilities: Standard, wood, silver, magic, holy symbols, and holy water. Special: For reason unknown, Churel and its infants are fascinated with balls of thread. Tossing one in its presence and it will be compelled to untangle it. Should this be done and then while the creatures is engaging in combat. It has only one attack per melee round, has no initiative, and no bonuses to strike, parry, or dodge (straight, unmodified dice rolls only).

Magic Spells: None.

Psionics: None

Value: Only to a necromancer

Average Life Span: Immortal until slain, decapitated and iron nails driven through the hands or destroyed by sunlight.

Habitat: Anywhere, but a large elf looking number are rumored to be wandering the Baalgor Wastelands.

Range: Anywhere

Language: Magically understands and speaks all languages at 92%.

Enemies: All living things and anything of beauty. Former family members will be specifically targeted first.

Allies: First and foremost their infant child or adopted one. May associate with other undead and powerful evil beings, particularly necromancers, in fact it may choose one male necromancer as its husband!

Size: Various humanoid forms.

Weight: Various humanoid forms.

See Also Unearthly Child