Sheeteaters

Order: Evil spirits Infernal Might: 5 (Animal)

Characteristics: Int 0, Per +2, Pre 0, Com +3, Str +1, Sta +1, Dex +1, Qik +1

Size: –2

Confidence Score: 1 (1)

Virtues and Flaws: Weak-willed

Qualities: Accomplished Flyer, Aquatic (can breathe water), Slippery (+6 against Grapple attacks)

Personality Traits: Selfish +5, Contemptuous of humans +4.

Combat:

Bite: Init +1, Attack +10, Defense +2, Damage +2

Soak: +4, bony plates under scales Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, –3, Unconscious

Wound Penalties: –1 (1–3), –3 (4–6), –5 (7–9), Inc (10–12), Dead (13+)

Abilities: Area Lore: Sark 3 (ocean), Athletics 5 (flying), Awareness 2 (food), Brawl 6 (dodging), Infernal Lore 2 (undersea secrets), Survival 3 (ocean), Swim 5 (home terrain)

Powers:

Coagulation, 1 point, Init –1, Corpus. Eat sheets: 0 points, Init +0: Any rope that the sheeteater touches with its teeth snaps.

Envisioning; 1 point, Init +0, Mentem.

Flight: 0 points, Init +1, Animal: This demonic fish can fly freely. It flaps its wings, but this is not required for it to fly.

Obsession, 1 to 3 points, Init –5, Vim: Contempt.

Sheeteater's Smile: 1 point, Init +0, Mentem: If a human sees a sheeteater perform an act of vandalism, the sheeteater may use its highly expressive features to mock him with a contemptuous grin. When this occurs the human is flooded with rage, and must make an appropriate Personality trait roll of 9 or more, or be compelled to attack the sheeteater. The sheeteater flees, but not so far nor so fast that the human has no chance to catch it. While chasing the sheeteater, the human cannot mend or mitigate the damage that the sheeteater caused. The power fails when the sheeteater clearly cannot be caught, when someone else mitigates the damage it has caused, when it uses this power on someone else, or after an hour.

Weakness: Cannot leave the sea, or the sky directly above the sea. The sheeteater can attack boats, but it can't go inland. Sheeteaters forced inland suffer a Light Wound every round.

Vis: 1 pawn Perdo vis sordia in body. Appearance: Smug-looking black fish, with elegant wings and highly expressive faces.

Sheeteaters are demonic flying fish. Their name comes from their habit of sabotaging vessels by biting through "sheets" or ropes. The destruction of sheets can cause sails to fly lose, so that speed is lost. In ships moving at speed, biting through the stays can cause masts to topple over. Eustace can use his sheeteaters in naval battles, but they are unable to venture inland.

This obliges all Hermetic magi to plot revenge against him. Other covenants, worried that Eustace has deliberately sought information about their placement and power, offer resources to the player characters when they strike at him.

Eustace is supported by a powerful demon. If the characters have previously feuded with this creature, then destroying one of his most powerful minions is a great victory. The characters may become aware of the connection between their foe and Eustace as a reward for completing a previous story, through the intercession of Saint Bartholomew,