Doppelgangers of Legend

There are a number of monsters relevant to Chirak which don't appear in any current edition of Runequest, Legend, BRP or otherwise. I thought I'd provide a few freebies on the blog here...first up being the Doppelganger! And yes, if you seem to be noticing a massive uptick in Legend coverage here, that is a trend and it will be a regular thing.

Doppelgangers of Chirak


Doppelgangers are ancient beings, and their origins have been lost to time. They seem to have no inherent form of their own, or at least none that has ever been directly observed, though they sometimes take on a curiously pasty, almost translucent appearance with melted or missing features. Doppelgangers seen in this “formless” state are uncannily disturbing to the human eye and evoke a sense of utter revulsion and terror in those around them.

There is some speculation among mages and scholars that doppelgangers may, in fact, be a unique sort of animate, one which was formed from some sort of protean flesh that allows it to morph at will in to other beings. The fact that doppelgangers are capable of interbreeding with some other species (see the entry on changelings for more details) suggests a deeper connection between this species and those it mimics.

Doppelgangers are remarkably good at imitating other beings, and are masters of careful study when it comes to emulating another creature's appearance, mannerisms and general personality. They seem to learn this entirely through observation, and as such can sometimes give themselves away when they fail to behave as one would expect, due to mannerisms in a target they have never observed.

Doppelgangers may look humanoid (in many guises) but they think nothing like men. Their minds are truly an alien landscape, their intentions strangely enigmatic; we share only their desire for survival, a behavior typical of most creatures. The doppelganger displays no sense of morality or ethical consideration; even amongst his own kind there is an inherent sense of suspicion and mistrust.

Average Stats: STR 11, CON 11, DEX 13, SIZ 11, INT 13, POW 13, CHA 13
Average Height: human normal, though ranging from 5' to 6' on average

Average Weight: 120-200 lbs in their human-like form

Ability Scores: Doppelgangers in a default humanoid state are very much like normal humans: STR 3D6, DEX 2D6+6, CON 3D6, SIZ 3D6, INT 2D6+6, POW 2D6+6, CHA 2D6+6.

Doppelgangers can mimic some wildly different forms, so the above ability scores reflect their “base value” when they are not shifted in anything other than their shapeless humanoid guise.

Doppelganger Humanoid Hit Location Chart:
D20    Hit Location AP HP
1-3       Right Leg      1     6
4-6       Left Leg        1     6
7-9       Abdomen      1     7
10-12   Chest             1     8
13-15   Right Arm     1     5
16-18   Left Arm       1     5
19-20  Head              -     6

CA: 3 Move: 8m SR: 13 Damage Bonus: +0 MP: 13

Traits: shape shifting

Typical Armor: none; Doppelgangers will often mimic an armored form to gain its APs of natural protection.

Skills: Athletics 40%, Brawn 30%, Evade 65%, Insight 75%, Lore (any two) 40%, Mechanisms 50%, Perception 75%, Persistence 55%, Resilience 40%, Sleight 60%, Stealth 90%

Weapon Skills: unarmed 35%, one other 35%

Weapons:
Fists (attack 35%, 1D3 damage; Medium Size)

Doppelgangers are typically unskilled in the attacks of whatever form they are emulating, but some doppelgangers have favored defensive or offensive forms and may choose to learn combat skills that will let them use the attacks of that form more effectively. If they do not learn such skills, then refault to their base attack average for an unarmed punch as above (but use the damage value for whatever attack they are attempting).

Unique Trait-Shape Shfiting 95%: works as the sorcery spell, but with a few limits: the doppelganger can change himself only, but unlike its half-breed kin the doppelganger can mimic any other form that it is familiar with, and may vary base SIZ by 1 point per 10% in the skill (so by up to 10 SIZ for the average changeling) in either direction; costs 1 CA and 1 MP each time it is used. Lasts POW times magnitude in minutes (110 minutes for a default doppelganger).

Thus, a skilled doppelganger could mimic a minotaur of SIZ 23 for almost two hours before renewing its form.

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