HYPERBOREA / The appearance of Night Gaunts

**Posted by Monkeydono** 4/07/2017 12:38 am

Tonight my group rolled a night gaunt encounter in mountainous terrain during the noon-6pm watch on year 4 of 13 (just over 13 hours of day light).
Waiting till 6pm for when the last for the swollen sun's rays break behind the ridge, the final chromatic dazzles twists to black, bending wider, tearing out are horns and wings, barbs and claws...then read the write up...

My question is - do Night Gaunts reside in any 'usual' & sustained (pockets here and there) way in these various environments, do they more fly conventionally to and fro the Black Gulf, or do they more phase/gate/teleport in and out of the Black Gulf?
Thanks!

**Posted by ThornPlutonius** 4/07/2017 6:56 am

I suggest you define them in the way that best serves your game, your vision of Hyperborea. I also acknowledge this does not really answer your question. Chaosioum's "Dreamlands" supplement (page 32, 5th Ed, 2011) says they dwell in numerous warren-like caves near the tops of the hideous Peaks of Throk.

**Posted by Druvas** 4/07/2017 8:37 am

What Thorn Plutonius said, but I have them almost exclusively out in the Black Gulf with the occasional one wandering in or being summoned/brought in by some servant of chaos. I have used only one so far and that was in a planned encounter in a tomb in the Red Desert. Tough foe for my 1st level heroes but they managed to defeat it, barely.

To more directly answer your question, I don't think they have a phase/gate ability so my inclination is that they fly in for some purpose or are brought in for yet another purpose. Happy hunting!

**Posted by Handy Haversack** 4/07/2017 10:27 am

If I get them on random encounters, I just assume one managed to find its way in to Hyperborea somehow. But I generally assume it wants to carry off one intelligent victim and fly it *back* to the Black Gulf for an eternity of tickling torture.

Because they tickle. It is well known!

**Posted by Druvas** 4/07/2017 11:54 am

Handy Haversack wrote:
If I get them on random encounters, I just assume one managed to find its way in to Hyperborea somehow. But I generally assume it wants to carry off one intelligent victim and fly it *back* to the Black Gulf for an eternity of tickling torture.

Because they tickle. It is well known!

And what could be more creepy than that? lolz

**Posted by Monkeydono** 4/12/2017 3:43 am

ThornPlutonius wrote:
...Chaosioum's "Dreamlands" supplement (page 32, 5th Ed, 2011) says they dwell in numerous warren-like caves near the tops of the hideous Peaks of Throk.

Thanks, ThornPlutonius! That helps me contextualize them a bit more.

Handy Haversack wrote:
If I get them on random encounters, I just assume one managed to find its way in to Hyperborea somehow. But I generally assume it wants to carry off one intelligent victim and fly it *back* to the Black Gulf for an eternity of tickling torture.

Because they tickle. It is well known!

Although, they seem to be averse to wetlands, lakes & rivers, forests, tundra and glaciers...yet dungeons and towns, the stuff of nightfall and nightmares, darkness and dread...I also see the link to fresh water but what keeps Night from the shadow of the trees?

**Posted by Monkeydono** 4/12/2017 3:57 am

Druvas wrote:
...I don't think they have a phase/gate ability so my inclination is that they fly in for some purpose or are brought in for yet another purpose...

Indeed, Druvas, I was also thinking that Night-Gaunts wouldn't have the ability themselves instead maybe it's the Black Gulf's winds that flow & flux in ways insane to comprehend, swirling behind our vail of brutish existence, slipping in at dusk's wink, following in a comet's tail or a child's torment...

Things I Worked On · **Posted by Ynas Midgard** 4/13/2017 12:13 pm

In my games they just come down from the sky to grab a couple people and fly off with them.

Also, in our last game the players were following up on a rumour and it turns out if someone on a ship has a nightmare, they will be targeted by a Night Gaunt the following night (better wait it out somewhere safe ).

**Posted by Monkeydono** 4/13/2017 12:40 pm

Ynas Midgard wrote:
...it turns out if someone...has a nightmare, they will be targeted by a Night Gaunt the following night (better wait it out somewhere safe ).

Nice, I'm completely onboard with this!
"...nightmares and nightfall, darkness and dread...a child's torment"
Where's safe (maybe on freshwater or deep in the forest)?
<<roll for surprise>>