THE DARK JUDGES (FEAR, FIRE and MORTIS) (2000AD) for Old School Fantasy & Horror.

 

Kev O'Neill

Eternal co-conspirators and bosom chums of Judge Death. 

In terms of basic mechanics/stats, treat the Dark Judges much the same as Judge Death.

Asterisk (*) indicates optional.

Morale: 10 (they're not self-destructive idiots) or 12 (they're indestructible super-fiends).

*Hit Dice: If they're not equal to Judge Death (and this could also depend on the host body and whether it's been treated with Dead Fluids), then they are probably no more than a step behind in terms of total HD, size of die used, or number of hp per die.

Invulnerable Monsters: In addition, Judge Fire is immune to fire and vs. magical (and dragon) fire, takes half or no damage.

*Fire and Mortis can also have damage/weapon resistances like Skeletons.

*Fire is immune to web, entangle and similar. Because he's on fire.

Attack with Filthy Claws: You're guaranteed to contract Mummy disease when fighting Mortis.

Fire does not harbour Mummy disease, but you take d8 hp fire damage per round of melee. Because he's on fire.

Grasp Heart: As Judge Death. Judge Fear only.

Stench of Death: As Judge Death. Judge Mortis only. 

*Fire smells like a conflagration in an overcrowded prison, with the same effects as the Stench of Death except: does not make you sick on a crit; you can't gain immunity.

Mournful Charm: As Judge Death. The other three Dark Judges lack Death's barely-controllable compulsion to kill charmed victims.

*Fire doesn't use this ability; it's not his style.

*Superhuman Strength: as optional for all or each of them as it is for Judge Death.

You Cannot Kill That Which Does Not Live: In gaseous form, they only have the ability to attempt possession.

Fire's disembodied spirit is especially threatening, because he looks like a roving fireball (or Skullghast) - but he can't set anything alight like this, and gives off no heat (he might not even cast illumination, just outlined in the dark as with faerie fire).

*No worries if you want to give them Mournful Charm and/or Stench of Death in this form, though - they are super-fiends after all.

Judge Fear - Special Rules.

Brian Bolland

Mantraps: carries at least two at all times; thrown weapons; regular rules for mantraps or mancatchers or grapple-at-range. 

Damage as for Filthy Claws +1.

Padlock: hold portal and wizard lock on any door, gate, hatch etc. Effective enough against normal humans and low-level psychics/spell-casters.

An object from a low-magic universe, attuned to a powerful supernatural being: it is Fear's willpower you challenge, not an intrinsic enchantment.

Gaze Into The Face of Fear: Fear can open his helmet and expose his face to a single target, who must immediately save or die.

If you're unlevelled, you survive only a crit success; if levelled, you survive on a normal success and are immune to the effect for the rest of the encounter on a critical success.

*If 4th level or above, you are immune (rest of the encounter) on a success. If 8th level above, immunity is permanent.

Judge Fire - Special Rules.

Greg Staples

Beneficiary of nominative determinism, arson-inclined mortal Judge Fuego became Judge Fire.

Flaming Trident: Base damage and properties as a regular trident with adjustments/effects as a flame tongue sword.

An object from a low-magic universe, it could be alien, magi- or necro-tech rather than enchanted.

The trident can be thrown as a 2d6 fireball (normal fire), and can project a 20' line or 10'x10' cone of flames for the same amount of damage. Normal saves apply.

Anyone who gets hold of Fire's trident can potentially use it, but will suffer d8 hp damage per round because it's ON FIRE! 

Judge Fire is attuned to the trident so he knows where it is, if someone else is using it, and can call it to him if nearby (strength/grapple contest if you're wielding it when he does so).

Special Vulnerability: Takes unsoakable non-lethal damage from water and fire extinguishers – you can subdue him this way, but it won’t stop him reigniting later and it won’t force him into gaseous form.

*Combustible Hosts: Unless treated with Dead Fluids, a host body burns at a rate of d8 hp per minute  then flares up as a 2d6 fireball (normal fire) at 0 hp. The host is reduced to ash and Fire assumes gaseous form.

Judge Mortis - Special Rules.

Carlos Ezquerra

Death, Fear, Fire and Mortis has a good rhythm to it, but why not just Judge Decay? That is his schtick after all.

Based on a reading of the character in Fall of Deadworld, Mortis is an aesthete (and enthusiast) of death and decay.

Maybe he chose the Mortis nom de guerre out of respect for Death?

Touch of Decay: Mortis makes a touch attack equivalent to the attack of a Mummy (d12 rot/necrotic damage, plus infection with horrible rotting disease - no save).

Claw damage stacks with the touch attack.

Special Vulnerability: Weapons of pure metals, such as gold or silver, bypass his Invulnerability (for half-damage).

Contact does not discomfort or harm him; they're just unaffected by his touch.

*Decomposing Hosts: Unless treated with Dead Fluids, a host body rots at a rate of d12 hp per minute. The host is reduced to dust/slime and Mortis assumes gaseous form.

*Further Elaboration.

Judge Fear’s Helmet is also Warduke’s helmet (XL1 Quest for the Heartstone: gives infravision to 60’).

If Fear is on the same plane, he knows where it is, and will seek out the wearer to possess them. 

He will whisper to them in dreams to encourage them to do horrible things ("Hey - why is this parent-friendly commercial tie-in fantasy villain being so relentlessly edgy and grimdark?").

While Fear will possess Warduke if possible, he’d rather possess Warduke’s conqueror and spend a bit of time pretending to be the villain back from the dead before reverting to type and trying to bring his necrotic buddies along.

Perfect opportunity to turn Greyhawk into your local Deadworld.

Commentary.

Jim Murray

I'm not saying it's definitely the reference.