Tcho-Tcho RCC

The Nightlands version of Antarctica is a vast plateau known to the Nightlords as Leng, surrounded by the Cold Waste of Kadath. Kadath and Leng are places that none dare visit--not even the Nightlords--for fear of what lurks there. It has long been said that a evil race independent of the Nightlords dwells here, working their own particular brand of foul magicks, attempting to summon their dread god to the Earth dimension (which encompasses Earth, the Nightlands, the Astral Plane, and the Dreamstream). These allegations are partly true.

In this frozen hell abides a tribe of the Tcho-Tcho, who are also found on Earth on the blasted plain of Tsang in Tibet and a few other isolated places. It is said that in the beginnings of time, Chaugnar Faugn (one of the lesser Great Old Ones) made a race of beings, the Miri Nigri, to serve him. The Miri were a race of dwarves fashioned from the flesh of primitive amphibians. The Tcho-Tcho are said to be the offspring of those humans that mingled with the Miri, forming a hybrid race of evil intent. Descendants are outwardly human-like (for the most part), and of all sizes and appearances, but the taint of the Miri both blesses the Tcho-Tcho with great power and curses them with madness and deformity.

Eons after their creation, Chaugnar Faugn (imprisoned with his brethren Old Ones) managed to breach his dimensional prison enough to instruct his faithful to go into the Lands of Eternal Night and prepare for his return. For ten millennia (almost from the very beginning of the Nightlords' dominance) they have done so. After all this time, however, the Tcho-Tcho have grown impatient waiting for their master and have decided to hurry the process along. A few years after the turn of the century, the Tcho-Tcho began to send hunting parties out to capture sacrifices; the first few were miserably unsuccessful, but they began to learn from their mistakes. Eventually, the hunting parties became twisted versions of holidays, and to be selected for one (there are four each year) is a great honor.

Unfortunately, at about this same time, Tcho-Tchos with above-normal sanity and composure started being born. Seeing such creatures as deviants, they cast their kin out into the world of Light, where it was presumed they would die. This was true for most, but certainly not all. Many rogues survived and integrated into human society; their children by humans (for Tcho-Tchos and humans are so genetically similar that interbreeding is possible) grew up with a moral center and ideals. They learned to hate their dark-dwelling cousins as much as the Nightlords.

Now, Dark Day has come, and both groups have stepped up their activities. The Tcho-Tcho of Leng believe Dark Day to be a sign of their god's imminent return, and so have increased the number and frequency of sacrifices tenfold; and they no longer offer up merely humans--everyone is fair game now. The rogues, many of whom banded together in the "real" world, were convinced of the same thing--but are determined to stop it. They realize that if Chaugnar Faugn is freed, his first action will be to release his fellow Old Ones... and not even God could help the world if that happened.

Tcho-Tcho RCC

1. Supernatural Senses: Tcho-Tchos have intense senses, relating to the mundane and the paranormal. Their hearing and sight are about twice as keen as humans' (bonuses listed below), and they have nightvision to 100 feet. They always see the invisible, and can sense extradimensional beings fom 50 feet. Tcho-Tchos can also automatically discern if a being they are looking at is supernatural, even if disguised, shapechanged, aura altered, or whatever. They also have a chance to determine what specific kind of supernatural the creature is. Base Chance: 25% +3% per level.
   (Please note that Tcho-Tchos do not have supernatural attributes.)
   
   
2. Affinity for Magic: Because of their high PPE, long history of spell-casting, and a simple "knack" for magic, all Tcho-Tchos have some magical ability. The specifics are dealt with above. Also, all Tcho-Tchos have the Principles of Magic skill with no bonuses. If the class they pick already receives this skill, add +10% to it.
   
   
3. Knowledge of the Otherworlds: Perhaps due to their warped psyches, Tcho-Tchos have a deep connection to the Astral Plane and the Dreamstream. The specifics are dealt with above. In addition, the Tcho-Tcho are +15% to navigate the Astral Plane and +3 to resist dream combat (but not to attack). Tcho-Tchos may also donate PPE toward the creation of an Astral or Dream Realm, although they may not build one on their own (unless Astral Mages/Lords or Dream Dancers/Makers).
   
   
4. Warped Psyche: The insanity and instability of the Tcho-Tcho mind is their greatest weakness--and their greatest strength. Because of the turbulent nature of their thoughts, Tcho-Tchos are completely impervious to horror factor, any magic that enters or manipulates the mind, and any psionic power that directly contacts the mind.
   The powers of empathy and mind bond have special effects. Empathy always registers terrible sorrow, anger, and inner turmoil--emotions of such terrible intensity that the psionic must save vs. horror factor 17 or emit a blood-chilling scream and pass out. Any fool attempting a mind bond immediately becomes catatonic for 1D6 hours; at the end of that time, the character wakes up gibbering incoherently for 2D4 hours, having developed two random insanities and a phobia of supernatural beings.
   See aura, presence sense, and other powers/spells that detect "unnatural" beings pick up the Tcho-Tcho as a supernaturally evil being of great power (regardless of actual alignment or level). Powers/spells that have additional effect against supernatural or evil beings have full effect against Tcho-Tchos (again, regardless of alignment).
   Tcho-Tchos cannot be mind-controlled except by immensely powerful supernatural beings at least as insane as themselves (including the Old Ones and most of their servitor races, but excluding all Nightlords other than Lords Moloch and Foulseed [and maybe The Mocker]). They are also impervious to chemical mind control.
   Tcho-Tchos cannot be mentally transformed or altered by outside forces in any way short of a psionic mind wipe.
   All Tcho-Tchos are severely and clinically insane--higher-level ones are so "out there" that they have to be executed because of the threat they pose to the community. At first level, Tcho-Tchos have the following insanities: Obsession: Free the Old Ones (especially Chaugnar Faugn, but any Old One will do); Schizophrenia (fortunately, there are almost no addictive drugs in the Nightlands); Frenzy (pain and anger). Roll once on the Phobia table. At levels 3, 6, 9, 11, 13, and 15, roll once on the Random Insanity table.
   
   
5. Deformity: The mark of their hideous heritage is upon the Tcho-Tcho, for all who care to see. Because of their long association and interbreeding with humans, this mark is not as pronounced as once it was, and is only bad enough to be noticed in 15% of their total population. If a deformity is called for, roll on the following table. (Reroll if a Centauroid form is gained from the animal appearance tables). All bonuses from the form rolled are applied to the character.
   
   

   Tcho-Tcho Deformities

   Roll	Table
   1-25	Amphibian Form Table (Between the Shadows, page 131)
   26-40	Reptile Form Table (Nightbane RPG, page 99)
   41-50	Snake Form Table (Nightbane RPG, page 100)
   51-60	Rodent Form Table (Nightbane RPG, page 100)
   61-75	Unusual Facial Features (Nightbane RPG, page 102)
   76-90	Unnatural Limbs (Nightbane RPG, page 104)
   91-99	Mundane Deformation (Humpback, club foot, harelip, etc.; player's choice)
   00	Unearthly Beauty! (Nightbane RPG, page 93) Replace the given sections in the book with the following: 1-10% Demonic: A quite devilishly handsome appearance that grants +1D6 MA, +2D6 PB. This character typically tends to have reddish tones to their skin, two small horns on their head (too small to inflict any real damage), and bat-wing like appendages (that do not grant flight but allow for gliding add 1D4x10 to Spd). Individuals with this type of charaterisctic tend to be charismatic and mischievous, or cruel tricksters. Adds 1D6 to Horror Factor 91-95% Stigmata: Roll on the Stigmata Table (Nightbane RPG, page 101) or Stigmata Table II (Between the Shadows, page 132), ignoring results that require external paraphernalia (such as Stitches, Nails, Razor Blades, etc.) and these specific Stigmata: Shifting Body, Inside-Out Creature, and Body Faces. (I know this isn't really Unearthly Beauty, but what the hell! Might as well throw it in someplace!) 96-00% Combination of Two: Roll once more on the Unearthly Beauty table, ignoring rolls of 96-00, and once on the Tcho-Tcho Deformation Table.

   
   
   
6. The Rogues: Rogue Tcho-Tchos are outcasts because of their "unnatural" amounts of sanity. The only insanity possessed at first level is either a random phobia or the obsession "Supernatural Beings/Monsters (Hate/Destroy)," which includes their own kin in the Nightlands. Roll for an additional Phobia or Neurosis (player's choice) at levels 4, 8, 12, and 15. However, due to their increased sanity, rogue Tcho-Tchos lack the immunity to mind-affecting abilities their kind normally possesses; also, empathy and mind bond have no additional adverse effects to their user. Rogues are still impervious to horror factor and register as supernatural.
   Because of some unknown factor--perhaps their indomitable will or heightened awareness--rogues are completely immune to all forms of mind control! Rogues also cannot be mentally transformed or altered by outside means.
   Rogue Tcho-Tchos still have a natural horror factor and the standard 15% chance to develop a deformity. Add +1D4 to their Mental Endurance, and remove the standard psionic abilities. Instead, choose two psionic powers from any category except Master/Super; the character is still a minor psionic.
   
   
7. Creatures of the Cold: Tcho-Tchos have lived in the antarctic wastes for so long that they have become adapted to cold environments. Tcho-Tchos feel most comfortable in temperatures from 0°-60°F; at temperatures above 70°F, the character begins to take exposure damage.
   
   
8. RCC Bonuses: +3 to resist dream combat/manipulation; +15% to navigate on the Astral Plane; +2 to perception; +4 to save vs. poison; +1 to save vs. magic; +1 to save vs. psionics; +2 to initiative; +3 to dodge; +4 to roll with punch, fall, or impact.

The rogues are convinced that their tainted kin must be stopped at all costs, but realize that the Nightlords are the more immediate concern. As soon as the Nightlords are dealt with (ie: stomped off the planet) they will turn their full attention to the other races of the Nightlands... starting with their own relatives. However, most rogue Tcho-Tcho (because of their severe obsession) will dump any but the most pressing concerns to subvert a plot by their demented cousins or by servants of the Old Ones in general.