Left destitute, homeless, and slowly dying from the Great Famine, countless Irishmen immigrated to the industrial centers of Great Britain, looking for work and food. They brought with them stories (or more than stories) of Fear Gorta, the Hungry Man.
Fear Gorta is a boney Limbed, sunken eyed, and thin skinned emaciated specter that ask for food or funds from strangers. Dressed in rags, it looks like a man dying of starvation. It may knock on doors or ask for charity from people passing in the street. If it treated kindly it will bless the household with good fortune and prosperity, but if mistreated Fear Gorta brings hunger, pain or destruction.
The Fear Gorta may also hold the secret for making Fear Gortach, the Hungry Grass. Any person walking across a patch of Fear Gortach will have a sudden sensation of ravenous hunger. They are not actually starving, but the sensation is so overpowering, victims may overeat to the point of death. The blades of hungry grass are crumbly and dry like old leaves, and patches of it are usually shaped like the silhouette of a man lying down.
What is the Fear Gorta?
What is the Fear Gorta?
Here are three different explanations for the Fear Gorta. Each explanation shares the base attributes (Physical, Mental, etc) but has special rules that customize it’s abilities to match the back-story.
All incarnations of Fear Gorta have the following special attack:
Withering Blight
The Fear Gorta makes an opposed Mental Competence roll against his targets Fortitude. If the Fear Gorta wins he reduces his opponents Fortitude, and his opponent must pass another Fortitude check to remain conscious. If his target wins the opposed roll, there is no effect.
The target of this attack will remain unconscious until their mouth is full of food, and their lost Fortitude will be restored by a large meal.
The Fear Gorta
The target of this attack will remain unconscious until their mouth is full of food, and their lost Fortitude will be restored by a large meal.
The Fear Gorta
Physical: 8 Initiative: 6
Mental: 7 Health: 16
Social: 6 Quintessence: 36
The Fear Gorta is an ancient fey creature so fascinated by human need it masquerades as a beggar to experiment with generosity. It may make a simple request for a few pence or it may ask for enough food to feed eight people. Its desires may be capricious, but the rewards and judgments on its subjects are reliable (if unsubtle).
Armor Value: 3
Special Traits: Face Change, Fear, Life Drain, Wall-Crawler
Complications: Fascination (generous and miserly behavior), Vulnerability ( Iron),
Damage: 6
The Fear Gorta is a lesser demon of greed, and covetousness. It followed the hungers of the Irish to the cities and now it wallows in the needs and hatred of greedy men. If a man is kind to the Fear Gorta it blesses him with cursed prosperity leading to his inevitable corruption and greater need for more. If a man is rude to the Fear Gorta it takes what he has and leaves him with only his hunger. Rich or poor all feed the Fear Gorta’s desire to their inevitable destruction.
The Fear Gorta is a lesser demon of greed, and covetousness. It followed the hungers of the Irish to the cities and now it wallows in the needs and hatred of greedy men. If a man is kind to the Fear Gorta it blesses him with cursed prosperity leading to his inevitable corruption and greater need for more. If a man is rude to the Fear Gorta it takes what he has and leaves him with only his hunger. Rich or poor all feed the Fear Gorta’s desire to their inevitable destruction.
Armor Value: 5
Special Traits: Air of Festering Decay (Damaging Body), Fear, Insubstantial, Hand of Pestilence (Life Drain),
Complications: Hunger (must cause prosperity or devastation to a person every Friday at least), Damage: 7
The Fear Gorta is the ghost of Irishmen that died of hunger in the great famine, pitifully fumbling for justice in the afterlife. They drift into the paths of those connected to their families to test their generosity, and try to provide anonymously for their loved ones. Their wrath for societies’ injustices is terrible, but their ability to recognize their targets is negligible.
The Fear Gorta is the ghost of Irishmen that died of hunger in the great famine, pitifully fumbling for justice in the afterlife. They drift into the paths of those connected to their families to test their generosity, and try to provide anonymously for their loved ones. Their wrath for societies’ injustices is terrible, but their ability to recognize their targets is negligible.
Armor Value: 0
Special Traits: Ghost (cannot be killed, but can be put to rest), Fear, Insubstantial, Flight, Complications: Bound to the Welfare of its Loved Ones,
Damage: 5
Potential Hooks
Potential Hooks
Rumors have spread through the local taverns of mysterious deaths at a nearby mill. A number of local extortionists have been found dead, their bodies emaciated and filthy. All signs show that the men died of starvation, but witnesses state they looked healthy just the day before.
The Society for the Aid and Benefit of the Destitute, a charity led by a number of upper class ladies, crusades for cleaner safer streets, alms for the poor and to get rid of the Irish. They meet regularly in a private room at a very exclusive restaurant. Who replaced the garnish on their plates with Hungry grass?
The Society for the Aid and Benefit of the Destitute, a charity led by a number of upper class ladies, crusades for cleaner safer streets, alms for the poor and to get rid of the Irish. They meet regularly in a private room at a very exclusive restaurant. Who replaced the garnish on their plates with Hungry grass?
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