TEXT: Threats:
  Threats:
  By Amber Scott
  By Amber Scott
  Peril of the Gorgon
  Peril of the Gorgon
  
  Threats
  Peril of the Gorgons
  
  Rite Publishing Presents:
  Threats: Peril of the Gorgons
  Explorer (Author): Amber Scott
  Seeker (Editor): Perry Grosshans
  Guardian (Line Developer): Christopher “Kit” Kindred
  Trailblazer (Interior Artists):  Jacob Blackmon, Sergey Oganesov
  Pioneer (Trade Dress): James “Devin Knight” Hazelett 
  Adventurer (Layout): Daniel Marshall
  Surveyor (Art Director): Lj Stevens 
  Voyager (Publisher): Miranda Russell
  “For all the women who have supported me and my career over the years.  I 
  couldn’t have done it without you.”
  Based on Lords of Gossamer & Shadow by Jason Durall
   
  Threats: Perils of the Gorgons Copyright © 2018 Rite Publishing.  Lords of Gossamer and Shadow Copyright © 2012-2013 Steven D, Russel. All rights 
  reserved. Erick Wujcik’s Diceless Role-playing and associated marks and logos are trademarks of Diceless by Design Publishing, LLC, and are used 
  under license.
  See http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product_info.php?products_id=1447 for more information on Erick Wujcik’s Dicelss Role-playing. Some illustrations 
  excluding banners and trade dress are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0 License. http://creativecommons.org/
  licenses/by-nd/3.0/
  
  1
  Introduction
  Sierra,
  I’ve returned safely from the world of  Pirodan. It’s a 
  fascinating place, full of  ancient lore and knowledge if  
  you know the right places to look. It wasn’t an overly 
  peaceful trip but I’ll spare you the details for the moment. 
  When we’re all together again I’ll tell you and Eugenia 
  the whole story.
  I’ve found out quite a bit of  information about the 
  bizarre creatures known as Gorgons, enough that I 
  think my patron will be satisfied. I’ve spent the last few 
  days putting my knowledge together and I’ve included a 
  copy of  my findings with this letter. I hope the messenger 
  I found at the Agora delivers this package to you. I paid 
  him enough.
  Gorgons are unlike any other creatures I’ve studied. 
  The knowledge is as terrifying as it is fascinating. I don’t 
  think my patron would quite approve of  me sharing my 
  information with you, but sisters have to look out for 
  each other, right? I’d hate for either of  you to fall prey to 
  these horrible beasts.
  “Beast” isn’t quite the right word, though. Neither is 
  “creature.” I don’t think a word exists yet that properly 
  describes what they are. Read on. You’ll see what I mean.
  Your loving sister,
  Min
  The Many in One
  I’d thought my investigations would lead to an orderly, 
  factual account of the creatures known as Gorgons. One 
  section would weigh and measure them. Another would 
  show sketched cross-sections of the creatures’ anatomy. I’d 
  clinically discuss their eating habits, societal structures, and 
  birth and death cycles.
  Instead I find myself pondering philosophical questions 
  of the most inscrutable depth. What is it that makes an 
  individual their own person? Is it a soul that makes us who 
  we are, or are we collections of thoughts and memories 
  and nothing more?
  Such questions are inextricable from the study of 
  Gorgons, for these creatures are both many and one. They 
  have uncountable parts to their hives, yet a single “mind” 
  controls them. When they inhabit a host, they slowly take 
  over their victim’s thoughts and feelings, incorporating 
  their unique spirit into the Gorgon whole. 
  On one of my trips I encountered a man who had 
  been infested by a Gorgon. On his world he had been a 
  farmer, a steward of the land who cared for his crops and 
  his neighbors. One day he complained of a headache. The 
  next day a swarm of mice descended upon him, climbing 
  through his sleeves and across his head. The farmer took 
  no notice of the mice and stared silently at those who 
  spoke to him, people he had known his whole life, as if 
  he had never seen them before. Then he walked silently 
  into the forest abutting his farmstead and vanished. No 
  one ever saw him again. His farm fell to ruin, his fields 
  lying fallow even now.
  This is the power of a Gorgon.
  Two Origins
  I’m not able to say for certain where Gorgons come from, 
  but my studies revealed two prevalent theories. All the 
  books I read and scholars I interviewed espoused one 
  theory or the other, sometimes with small modifications or 
  guised in metaphorical talk, but with little variation.
  The first theory attributes the first Gorgon to a magical 
  curse. The target of the curse changes from world to 
  world—in some stories the first Gorgon was a beautiful 
  youth, in others it was an arrogant warrior—but in all 
  of them a mortal offended an immortal being and was 
  punished. The mortal was stripped of everything. They lost 
  their physical body, their mind, and even their sense of self. 
  Nothing remained but hunger dwelling in an amorphous, 
  shapeless mass.
  The second theory states that Gorgons have always 
  existed, a dreadful race spawned on a world without light. 
  Explorers sailing in vast ships that could cross between 
  stars came upon the dark world and were instantly infested 
  by the Gorgons there. The Gorgons used the ship to 
  return to the explorers’ home world and thus spread their 
  influence across all Gossamer worlds.
  In the end, all that really matters is that Gorgons are here 
  and they still hunger.
  Dark Heart
  It seems simplistic to ask “what do Gorgons want?” when 
  faced with such inscrutable creatures. I believe Gorgons 
  want, on one level, what anyone wants. To survive. They 
  further their existence at the expense of others’ lives, no 
  
  2
  different than a lion who survives by feasting on the life-
  blood of a gazelle.
  And yet, some might argue that Gorgons do not kill their 
  victims outright. The farmer I mentioned earlier was still 
  alive when he vanished into the woods. A Gorgon is never 
  a single-bodied creature, but a swarm that cooperates with 
  and makes use of its unwilling host. Perhaps in that sense 
  a Gorgon is more merciful than a lion.
  Don’t give any weight to that argument. Gorgons are 
  worse than simple killers. They hollow out their hosts, 
  stripping them of everything that made them unique 
  individuals. They feast on memory, devouring free will and 
  personality, until nothing remains but another atom of will 
  incorporated into the Gorgon’s hive mind. A body might 
  remain, but the person’s soul has been murdered.
  On another level, Gorgons want to spread their influence. 
  This seems to be driven by a stronger urge than basic 
  survival. A Gorgon might take unnecessary risks to infest 
  hosts when they see an opportunity. They sometimes pass 
  up easier hosts to attack more powerful (and thus more 
  dangerous) ones. It’s almost as if Gorgons are looking for 
  particular experiences and powers to add to their being. 
  The motive behind these patterns is yet unknown, but I 
  think discovering what it is that drives the Gorgon race 
  could be the key to defeating them.
  Gorgon Anatomy
  Author’s Note: “Anatomy” might not be exactly the 
  right word to describe a Gorgon’s physical makeup. The 
  reader will have realized by now that Gorgons do not fit 
  into neat descriptive pockets. Though they are terrifying 
  creatures, Gorgons have a certain elegance to their design. 
  They’re efficient in a way other creatures are not, which 
  is something I admit I admire. -Min
  Physiology
  A Gorgon isn’t a single cohesive being. It begins as a cloud 
  of tiny spheres, or spores, so small they can barely be seen 
  individually. Only when grouped together do the spores 
  seem to take on substance and mass.  A spore cannot travel 
  more than a few feet from the cloud before it becomes 
  inert and lifeless, and so a Gorgon in spore form is careful 
  to remain in a relatively close configuration.
  The means by which a Gorgon controls its individual 
  parts remains a mystery. Magic could be the force holding 
  it together, or it could be electrical impulses, or some other 
  property of the creature not yet discovered. What we do 
  know is that a Gorgon in spore form is almost impossible 
  to kill with physical damage. 
  In its immature form, a Gorgon’s spores can hover a few 
  inches off the ground and move in an undulating pattern, 
  like a fish swimming through water. The Gorgon can float 
  as high as it likes, though most don’t rise above ten feet 
  or so. Strong winds can injure a Gorgon in spore form by 
  blowing away some of its particles, and so Gorgons must 
  be cautious when flying at extreme heights.
  Gorgons in spore form can accomplish little. It is a 
  barely intelligent swarm creature that requires a host of 
  substance to attain any real sentience. The next section 
  describes Gorgon hosts.
  Hosts
  As I mentioned earlier, Gorgons grow and spread by 
  inhabiting hosts. An immature Gorgon infests a host 
  by growing and forming a multitude of its spores into a 
  swarm of seemingly innocuous animals. The animals then 
  surround the host while a handful of stray spores enter the 
  host’s body. The spores enter through any available orifices, 
  including the pores of the skin, and does so with such care 
  that a host may not realize they are becoming infested. 
  Gorgons often target sleeping or distracted individuals to 
  improve their chances of success. 
  Though a Gorgon can infest a target quite rapidly, they 
  can be interrupted. I heard one story on my travels of a 
  shepherd sleeping in a field who awoke to see a sparkling 
  cloud of fireflies descending on her. The girl jumped up 
  and ran straight to town, where the townsfolk, alerted 
  by her screams, were waiting with torches and weapons. 
  The cloud abandoned its chase and though the shepherd 
  later found “dust” trickling from her ears and the pores 
  of her face (the dead particles of the partially assimilated 
  Gorgon), she suffered no lasting ill effects. Author’s Note: 
  One of  the rams in her flock was missing when the townsfolk returned 
  to the pasture, though, and could be seen spying on the town at night 
  from time to time, surrounded by a swarm of  blinking fireflies.
  Gorgons generally prefer intelligent, humanoid hosts, 
  though they can inhabit any living, organic creature. It 
  seems likely that a Gorgon’s host adds its unique knowledge 
  and experiences to the nature of the Gorgon and so the 
  creature constantly seeks out new and different targets. 
  A Gorgon’s assimilation of its host’s knowledge is often 
  a Pyrrhic victory. As the Gorgon consumes its host’s 
  mind, the host’s intelligence breaks apart. Higher cognition 
  degrades, sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly, until the 
  host is left a wandering husk. The Gorgon within, having 
  extracted what it can, begins a search for a new host.
  
  3
  The animal forms a Gorgon takes vary by host, implying 
  that the Gorgon’s spores can intuit an appropriate form 
  from their host. Perhaps when the few spores trickle into 
  the host’s body, they form a limited psychic connection and 
  Gorgon Statistics
  Gorgons are dangerous foes and extremely difficult 
  to kill. All Gorgons possess the following abilities.
  • 
  Resistant to Normal Weapons [1 Point] — The 
  distributed nature of a Gorgon makes it more 
  difficult to kill.
  • 
  Self-Healing [1 Point] — A Gorgon can rapidly 
  heal by incorporating a new host into its 
  collective self.
  • 
  Double Vitality [2 Points]
  • 
  Superior Stamina [1 Point]
  • 
  Combat Training [1 Point]
  • 
  Able to Speak and Reason [2 Points]
  • 
  Psychic Resistance [1 Point]
  Individual Gorgons may have other abilities based on 
  the host they inhabit. For example, a Gorgon possessing 
  a powerful troll might have enhanced strength, while 
  one inhabiting a forest elf could see in the dark.
  On rare occasions, a Gorgon assimilates a host with 
  the power and mental acuity to stand up to the swarm’s 
  demands. A true symbiosis occurs with the Gorgon-
  infested host retaining, even enhancing, its facilities. Such 
  creatures are as dangerous as they are rare. Of their number, 
  Medusa is the most well-known, and rightly feared.
  A Gorgon within a host can infest a new host by 
  secreting fresh spores from its existing host and extruding 
  half of its swarm and sending them after a new target. The 
  infestation process works the same way. Most of the time 
  the swarm’s animal forms remain the same from host to 
  host, but occasionally some Gorgons’ spores and swarm 
  will mutate into a new animal form. During this process 
  the Gorgon cannot stray more than a few feet from the 
  new target until the transformation is complete. At the end 
  of the transformation, the Gorgon chooses which host 
  body to keep. The other is destroyed, its memories and 
  knowledge added to the Gorgon’s own.
  A Changing Form
  Once a Gorgon has infested its host, the bulk of its spores 
  follow closely in their assumed animal forms. These animal 
  forms cannot revert back to spores, but remain in their 
  distinct (though mentally linked) bodies. You’ll remember 
  the farmer I described with the swarm of mice crawling 
  behind and upon him.
  
  4
  glean the proper form to assume. Thus a wandering druid 
  is swarmed by a flock of ravens, or a farmer by field mice, 
  or an aristocratic lady by purring kittens.
  With very powerful hosts, the Gorgon sometimes merges 
  with the host’s body, becoming a physical whole. Such is the 
  case with serpent-tressed Medusa. The appearance of this 
  extrusion is unique to each host, and occurs infrequently.
  A Gorgon’s swarm is always comprised of animals of 
  the same type, though small individual variations occur 
  between members of the swarm. The size of a swarm 
  depends on the size of the creature the Gorgon imitates, 
  as well as the density of the original spore cloud. The 
  farmer might have a swarm of hundreds of field mice 
  following him, while the aristocratic lady has only four 
  kittens by her side.
  One animal from the swarm can travel a short distance 
  from the host, usually around 50 feet. If the animal travels 
  any farther, it becomes inert and collapses into a pile of 
  dust. The Gorgon experiences everything each member 
  of the swarm does, so in this way the Gorgon can use 
  one of its animals as a spy, to scout ahead or eavesdrop 
  on conversations.
  Losing an animal by extending it too far doesn’t harm 
  the Gorgon physically, but reduces its size. If the Gorgon 
  is separated to the point where all its swarm creatures are 
  lost, the Gorgon itself dies. This usually kills the host, 
  unless the infestation was in its very early stages. 
  Gorgons are notoriously hard to kill. If even one of the 
  swarm creatures survives and escapes, it retains the essence 
  of the Gorgon and can slowly regenerate until it resumes 
  its original size. Each Gorgon takes a different amount 
  of time to regenerate, based on its size, age, and strength. 
  The average Gorgon takes about a month to regenerate. 
  Smaller, younger Gorgons can regenerate in half that time, 
  while larger, older Gorgons take several months, or even 
  up to a year.
  Gorgon Psychology
  Author’s Note: This section is the least well-documented 
  of  my notes. Information on what Gorgons look like 
  and how they act is fairly available, but to get inside 
  their thoughts is a dangerous process. I’ve done my best 
  to report all the facts I have and limit my speculation, 
  though it’s difficult to resist. Gorgon society must be a 
  weird and wonderful thing, with everyone’s thoughts 
  humming together in perfect accordance. Think of  it—
  no dissent, no misunderstandings, no anger or regrets. It 
  seems like a very peaceful, enlightened experience. -Min
  Containing Multitudes
  Though a Gorgon is an entity made up of many individual 
  parts, it has but one consciousness. All of the minds the 
  Gorgon has infested over its lifetime exist within the 
  creature, but folded into one cohesive mind. No one 
  knows if individual “souls” can assert themselves in a 
  Gorgon collective from time to time, or if every trace of 
  individuality is ruthlessly stamped out.
  The only dissention a Gorgon experiences is when 
  it infests a new host. The host can attempt to fend off 
  the Gorgon’s influence for a time, struggling desperately 
  to retain their identity. During this period of struggle 
  the Gorgon can be ejected, but a Gorgon’s first act after 
  infestation is to take over the physical functions of its new 
  body. The host becomes a prisoner of their own mind, 
  unable to ask for help while the Gorgon slowly assimilates 
  their individuality. As mentioned before, the end result 
  is a base creature, with no trace of the original host left. 
  Memories, personality, and intelligence are lost. The 
  Gorgon and the host become one.
  Meeting of the Minds
  Some sort of Gorgon society undoubtedly exists, though 
  the exact nature of the society remains undetermined. 
  Gorgons usually live and operate alone, but gather from 
  time to time. Such gatherings are kept highly secret and no 
  outsiders are permitted. Two Gorgons meeting by chance 
  will stop to converse, either through their hosts or via the 
  silent communication that only Gorgons can share. 
  Some researchers theorize that all Gorgons are really one 
  Gorgon, different aspects of the same massive individual 
  mind. When Gorgons gather, it may be to share information 
  gathered from different hosts to all the other Gorgons at 
  the meet. This would allow the Gorgons to gain knowledge 
  more quickly together than any one Gorgon could gather 
  alone.
  Gorgons who retain some intelligence are willing to 
  speak with members of other races so long as it serves their 
  needs. Some of these advanced Gorgons work as spies 
  and assassins, taking over host bodies that will grant them 
  access to sensitive areas. Other advanced Gorgons work 
  for researchers, infesting a host with critical knowledge 
  that the Gorgon then sells to their patron. Gorgons 
  have a reputation for being fair partners and break their 
  agreements only under the direst of circumstances, which 
  makes them valuable partners—if one can be located.
  
  5
  Powers and Abilities
  • 
  Psychic Barrier [4 Points]
  • 
  Divine and Understand True Name [5 Points]
  • 
  Total Incorporation [4 Points]
  • 
  Resistant to Normal Weapons [1 Point]
  • 
  Self-Healing [1 Point]
  • 
  Double Vitality [2 Points]
  • 
  Superior Stamina [1 Point]
  • 
  Combat Mastery [4 Points]
  • 
  Able to Speak and Reason [2 Points]
  Artifacts and Creatures
  Bronze Girdle [16 Points] — Whatever her outfit, 
  Medusa always wears a girdle of linked bronze plates, 
  each one an oval roughly two inches across. Each plate 
  is engraved with a scene of battle or an image of a 
  fantastic monster. The girdle warns Medusa when danger 
  threatens her, and allows her to traverse the Grand Stair.
  Gorgons of the Gossamer 
  Worlds
  Author’s Note: Though Gorgons exist in countless 
  forms, during my research I identified three specific 
  advanced Gorgons known to many of  the most powerful 
  individuals of  the Grand Stair. These Gorgons may 
  be receptive to conversation but should, nevertheless, be 
  approached with caution and respect.
  Medusa
  Medusa is perhaps the best-known Gorgon, for she has 
  inhabited the same general form for decades: A young 
  woman with olive skin, dark eyes, and a mass of writhing 
  snakes for hair. Numerous legends have sprung up around 
  Medusa, including the persistent myth that she can turn 
  people to stone with a gaze. There are no lifelike statues 
  surrounding her place of residence, but it’s true that she is 
  a deadly assassin for hire.
  Medusa can often be found near the Agora, though 
  she comes and goes at a whim. Messages left for her in 
  the market eventually find their way to her. She is willing 
  to meet with potential clients but chooses jobs based 
  on her own preferences, not money or the promise of 
  material rewards. 
  Medusa as an Ally
  Medusa rarely forms actual alliances with anyone, though 
  she can temporarily join forces with others if it serves her 
  purpose. If one of these temporary alliances helps Medusa 
  achieve her goal and she considers the people involved 
  reliable, she’s willing to join with them again (if it suits her 
  needs). Though Medusa is a businesswoman and generally 
  trustworthy on missions, there’s always the tension that she 
  might infest one of her allies without their knowledge.
  Medusa as an Enemy
  Medusa makes a fearsome enemy. She’s an aged and 
  experienced Gorgon and she’s honed her combat skills 
  to an unparalleled degree. If  she takes a contract to kill 
  someone, she doesn’t rest until her mission has been 
  fulfilled. However, if  a client lies to her or misleads her 
  during the negotiation of  the contract, and that fact 
  later comes to light, Medusa can quickly turn on her 
  former partner.
  
  6
  Objectives
  Medusa’s objectives are inscrutable to most. She uses her 
  abilities to seek out powerful targets and kill them, thus 
  learning more about their natures. Her work also takes her to 
  any number of Gossamer worlds. Medusa is more receptive 
  to missions that allow her to face enemies or travel to worlds 
  she has no previous experience with. She then takes her 
  knowledge back to other Gorgons at meets to share.
  Cragmordan
  On the world from which Cragmordan’s host body 
  hails, the locals know him as “the mountain that came 
  to life.” Rock troll tribes had lived in the mountains for 
  generations, a reclusive and nonaggressive race with deep 
  ties to the land. All rock trolls are large, but Cragmordan 
  was enormous, towering over even the largest members 
  of his tribe. One day Cragmordan ventured toward the 
  peak of the mountain to forage and went missing. For an 
  entire moon’s cycle he was gone, and when he returned it 
  was with a strange light in his eyes and crystalline insects 
  crawling on his rocklike hide. Cragmordan soon left his 
  tribe to live a solitary life in the mountains, and travelers 
  entering his domain rarely return.
  Cragmordan as an Ally
  Cragmordan is one of the more alien Gorgons and has little 
  interest in other beings, save to absorb them into himself. 
  If someone persuades Cragmordan to assist in a mission, 
  the Gorgon may agree but assists silently and ruthlessly. He 
  isn’t the type to go back for a fallen companion or to make 
  a sacrifice for the greater good.
  Cragmordan as an Enemy
  His reclusiveness keeps Cragmordan from gathering many 
  enemies, though some of the weaker races on the world 
  fear his strength and would like to see him deposed. Some 
  of the rock trolls fear Cragmordan as well, though their awe 
  of him keeps any rebellions from forming. If Cragmordan 
  considers someone an enemy he will attack on sight, using 
  his powerful fists to pummel them into paste.
  Objectives
  Cragmordan’s Gorgon sees the value in having entire rock 
  troll tribes at his command. Their loyalty can be used in 
  time to further the Gorgon race’s agenda. He’s most 
  receptive to individuals who offer to help or bolster the 
  tribe in some way, and will occasionally ally with someone 
  in exchange for weapons or supplies for the rock trolls. 
  Cragmordan’s impressive strength is his most valuable 
  asset, but he sometimes works as a guide to lead travelers 
  through the mountains.
  • 
  Danger Sensitivity [2 Points]
  • 
  Search Through Worlds [4 Points]
  • 
  Confers Power on Wearer - Search Through 
  Worlds [10 Points]
  Viper [ 5 Points] — On missions, Medusa carries a 
  curved bronze dagger with a razor-sharp edge and a hilt 
  set with three glimmering pearls. She uses the dagger, 
  which she calls Viper, to carry out her contracted 
  assassinations. Viper is a dagger of unusual power and 
  can sometimes destroy doorframes, window panes, even 
  armor with a single thrust.
  • 
  Deadly Damage [4 Points]
  • 
  Contains Cantrip [1 Points] — Fracture
  Powers and Abilities
  • 
  Psychic Resistance [1 Point]
  • 
  Divine and Understand True Name [5 Points]
  • 
  Partial Incorporation [2 Points]
  • 
  Resistant to Normal Weapons and Firearms [2 
  Points]
  • 
  Self-Healing [1 Point]
  • 
  Double Vitality [2 Points]
  • 
  Superior Stamina [1 Point]
  • 
  Combat Reflexes [2 Points]
  • 
  Able to Speak and Reason [2 Points]
  • 
  Double Damage [2 Points]
  Allies
  Partisan Support [3 Points] — Cragmordan is considered 
  something of a divine being among the rock troll tribes. 
  Some of the rock trolls believe he’s the incarnation of 
  the spirit of the earth, others think he was chosen by 
  some powerful being to gain special powers. The rock 
  troll tribes support Cragmordan unconditionally and will 
  obey his commends, though he rarely issues any.
  
  7
  Nathaniel Iglehart
  A recent arrival on the Grand Stair, Iglehart was a wanderer 
  and explorer, using his newfound powers as a Warden 
  to venture into dozens of new worlds. One of his trips, 
  however, did not go as planned. Iglehart returned to the 
  Grand Stair a hollow-eyed version of his former self, 
  swathed in a heavy, hooded robe. His mind seemed broken 
  by whatever he’d experienced through the Door and now 
  he can be encountered in dark corners of the Grand Stair, 
  lurking on landings and mumbling to himself. 
  Though Iglehart appeared to be nothing more than 
  a common adventurer, he was actually an acolyte in a 
  cult devoted to the worship of unknowable, alien beings 
  that lived beyond the stars. His psychic struggle with the 
  Gorgon that infested him destroyed his sanity and, in the 
  end, he believed his body was being taken over by one of 
  these alien gods. That belief transmitted to the Gorgon 
  when it absorbed him and has left him a strange, paranoid, 
  unbalanced creature. 
  Iglehart is accompanied by a swarm of glistening indigo 
  beetles, their carapaces shimmering like oil. The gentle 
  click of the beetles surrounds him wherever he goes. On 
  the rare occasion that he pulls back his hood, he displays a 
  mask of flowing beetles that covers his face entirely, save 
  for his mad, gleaming eyes. 
  While Iglehart’s adventures began when he discovered 
  his power as a Warden, his connection to the Grand Stair 
  is slowly eroding. As the Gorgon consumes him, his power 
  weakens, and he will soon be left a wandering husk trapped 
  on the Stair.
  Attributes
  PSYCHE — 20 Points
  STRENGTH — Superior Rank
  ENDURANCE — Superior Rank
  WARFARE — Average Rank
  Powers
  Warden of  the Grand Stair [10 Points]
  Umbra Mastery [50 Points]
  Divine and Understand True Name [5 Points]
  
  8
  Iglehart as an Ally
  Iglehart is too unbalanced to serve as a consistent 
  companion. Even if he agrees to work with another 
  person, his fractured mind causes him to behave erratically. 
  He might support his companion one minute and then 
  turn on them the next. When stealth is called for, Iglehart 
  could break down and begin gibbering and screaming. 
  Iglehart as an Enemy
  Iglehart’s paranoia means he believes everyone is an 
  enemy. His inability to trust alongside his significant 
  power makes him dangerous, but his madness makes him 
  believe that most people on the Grand Stair could crush 
  him in an instant. Thus he lurks in the shadows, plotting 
  horrible deaths for people that he never attempts to bring 
  to fruition.
  Objectives
  Iglehart’s Gorgon knows something is wrong. The sick brain 
  of its host has somehow corrupted it and it simultaneously 
  wants the help of other Gorgons while knowing that to 
  share thoughts with others could spread the sickness. As 
  time goes on the Gorgon’s nature continues to fracture 
  and it may eventually seek out other Gorgons and share its 
  experiences with them regardless of the risk.
  Resistant to Normal Weapons [1 Points]
  Self-Healing [1 Point]
  Double Vitality [2 Points]
  Superior Stamina [1 Point]
  Combat Reflexes [2 Points]
  Able to Speak and Reason [2 Points]
  Psychic Resistance [1 Point]
  Artifacts and Creatures
  Amulet of  the Eye [4 Points] — Iglehart wears a silver 
  amulet shaped like an eye around his neck. This is the 
  symbol of the alien gods he worships and it manifests 
  several protective abilities.
  • 
  Psychic Neutral [2 Points]
  • 
  True Name is Warded [2 Points]
  Domain 
  The Space Beyond [4 points]: Iglehart has a personal 
  domain, claimed before his madness and infestation. 
  The Space Beyond is a vast darkness filled with purple 
  mist, where tentacles seem to writhe just out of sight. 
  Iglehart’s connection to the Space Beyond is already 
  disintegrating, and soon he will lose access to his domain 
  altogether as the Gorgon consumes him.
  • 
  Personal Domain [1 point]
  • 
  Restricted Access [2 points]
  • 
  Control of Contents [1 point]
  Allies
  Mentor [2 Points] — Iglehart still communicates regularly 
  with the head of his cult back on his home world. Since 
  his transformation, Iglehart has only sent messages 
  back to the cult and avoided visiting the group in 
  person. Iglehart’s mentor and cult leader, Cassandra, has 
  grown concerned over the disjointed and sometimes 
  incomprehensible missives and is trying to find out what 
  exactly happened to her protégé.
  Stuff
  Bad [+2 Points]
  
  9
  Manifestations of the 
  Many
  Author’s Note: It seems prudent to confess that I actually 
  spoke to a Gorgon when researching this section. It was 
  the only way to get reliable information, despite the danger. 
  The Gorgon I spoke with was remarkably forthcoming and 
  assisted me greatly. I can’t believe I was ever afraid of  these 
  creatures. -Min
  Gorgon Powers
  Though Gorgons appear alien and unknowable to other 
  races, the powers they manifest are similar to other 
  powers known in Gossamer worlds. The way a Gorgon 
  uses its power, though, may seem bizarre. Someone who 
  has no knowledge of Gorgon powers might think a 
  Gorgon has mysterious, never-before-seen abilities, when 
  in truth the Gorgon simply applies a common power in 
  an uncommon fashion.
  In general, Gorgons cannot use greater powers, such as 
  Warden of the Grand Stair, even if their host possessed 
  such powers. As the Gorgon consumes its host, the host’s 
  cognitive and supernatural abilities degrade to the point 
  where greater powers are lost. Some Gorgons retain greater 
  powers for a short time but eventually its consumption of 
  the host destroys its ability to use these powers.
  Exceptionally powerful Gorgons, such as Medusa, retain 
  the ability to use more moderate powers, such as sorcery or 
  icons. Gorgons may also develop unique abilities based on 
  the powers their host once possessed. An Umbra master 
  overtaken by a Gorgon may lose the Umbra power, but gain 
  the ability to shift their shape as an echo of their former 
  power. These secondary abilities don’t always manifest in a 
  Gorgon, but when they do, they always relate somehow to 
  the former powers of the host. 
  Possessing a Host.  When a Gorgon manifests as a 
  swarm and surrounds a potential host, it begins the process 
  of connecting with the host’s psyche and possessing the 
  host’s mind. The Gorgon  must contact the host’s skin (or 
  skin analogue, such as a carapace or hide), so protective 
  gear (such as a sealed environmental suit) or certain spells 
  or powers (such as an Eidolon Master’s ability of physical 
  fortification) can potentially block the Gorgon. The 
  potential host might also notice the Gorgon approaching 
  and choose to attack or escape, which is why a Gorgon 
  will often wait for a host to be asleep or distracted before 
  making its move.
  Once the Gorgon has made contact with the host, if it is 
  able to overwhelm the host’s psyche it begins to bond. The 
  host has a limited amount of time to expel the Gorgon 
  before they are controlled and ultimately consumed by it, 
  usually no longer than a few hours.
  A Gorgon can only infest a living, organic creature. 
  Objects, automatons, computer systems and the like are 
  immune to possession by a Gorgon.
  Diving and Understanding True Names: Some 
  Gorgons have the frightening ability to divine a creature’s 
  True Name. The Gorgon doesn’t extend its will onto the 
  host, but instead suffuses every cell of the host, learning 
  everything it can about the body it now inhabits. In time, 
  the Gorgon understands the host on such an intimate level 
  that the host’s True Name becomes apparent. During this 
  time, the host may not even know they’ve been infected (if 
  the Gorgon joined the host while they slept, for instance).
  Like the Invocation power of the same name, it takes 
  a variable amount of time for a Gorgon to divine its 
  host’s True Name. For ordinary people or beasts, the 
  process takes about a day. For more powerful individuals 
  or creatures on a scale with most Gossamer Lords the 
  process takes from several days to a week. For truly 
  impressive beings, it takes weeks or even months for a 
  Gorgon to discern the host’s True Name, and any being 
  so powerful would undoubtedly recognize and expel the 
  Gorgon before they could be compromised.
  Psychic Defense
  This is the manner by which a Gorgon attaches to an 
  unsuspecting host. This is a special ability reserved for 
  Gorgons only, to reflect their alien hive mind psyches. 
  In general, a Defensive power cannot and should not be 
  used offensively by player characters or other creatures.
   A Gorgon’s Psychic strength is determined by its 
  Psychic Defense score, per the Creature/Artifact Quality 
  description in the core book. This quality confers the 
  defensive bonuses of the Psychic Defense score as listed 
  in the core rulebook in addition to the following levels, 
  which is one reason Gorgons are so difficult to detect.
  • 
  Psychic Resistance [1 Point] This level confers 
  the equivalent of Superior Rank Psyche.
  • 
  Psychic Neutral [2 Points] This level confers the 
  equivalent of Paragon Rank Psyche.
  • 
  Psychic Barrier [4 Points] This level confers 
  the equivalent of a numbered Rank, usually 
  near the bottom of the Attribute ladder (to be 
  determined exactly where by the gamemaster). 
  
  10
  For most Gorgons, learning a host’s True Name is 
  irrelevant. By the time the Gorgon learns the host’s 
  True Name, the host has been reduced to a base state 
  by the infestation and will soon be discarded. However, 
  exceptionally powerful and intelligent Gorgons, the 
  frightening boogeymen of legend, sometimes accept 
  contracts to infect a creature and learn its True Name. It 
  then sells the information to the creature’s enemies for 
  money or information. 
  A powerful Gorgon might also infest a host just long 
  enough to learn its True Name, then move on to another 
  host, leaving the initial host relatively intact. The first 
  host might not even realize they have been infected. If, in 
  the future, the Gorgon’s current host is destroyed or the 
  Gorgon is endangered, it may return to the initial host and 
  immediately possess them without needing to infect them 
  first. This can be an important contingency for Gorgons 
  of this power.
  some physical changes but keeping swarm animals as well, 
  it extends the range to which it can send its swarm animals 
  before they discorporate.
  Divine and Understand True Name [5 Points]
  This ability functions as per the Invocation abilities 
  of the same name, as described in Lords of  Gossamer & 
  Shadow core book, page 35.
  This Invocation ability is very similar to two Invocation 
  Talents introduced in Rite Publishing’s The Long Walk: 
  Life on the Grand Stair supplement. Gorgons have an 
  easier time Divining and Understanding True Names. 
  This is due to the Gorgons’ alien swarm psyches, and 
  should not be a general rule for player characters or 
  other creatures and beings. 
  Bodily Modifications. The process of a Gorgon’s 
  domination is a painful and confusing time for the host. 
  The Gorgon’s psychic domination leaves the host aware 
  but unable to control their actions. They become a prisoner 
  in their mind, helplessly watching as their thoughts are 
  ravaged and corrupted. 
  Once the host’s thoughts have been dominated, a 
  secondary process sometimes occurs. Some Gorgons 
  possess the ability to reshape the host’s body (for example, 
  sprouting from the host’s scalp in a multitude of hissing 
  snakes). Doing so marks the host as unmistakably alien, 
  though the physical transformation can be hidden through 
  mundane or magical means. For example, Medusa can hide 
  her serpent hair beneath a hood or a magical illusion. 
  Creating physical modifications in the host’s body has two 
  potential benefits. If a Gorgon integrates itself completely 
  in the host’s body, such as the case with Medusa, it can no 
  longer be killed by scattering its swarm’s components. If 
  the Gorgon partially integrates itself with the host, creating 
  Partial Incorporation [2 Points]
  This ability allows a Gorgon to partially meld with its 
  host, creating a physical mutation that reflects its swarm 
  form. For example, a swarm that takes the shape of 
  a flock of birds may include a physical mutation of 
  feathers growing from the host’s scalp. A Gorgon with 
  this ability may send its swarm creatures up to 100 feet 
  away from its host. Destroying all the swarm creatures 
  kills the Gorgon.
  Total Incorporation [4 points]
  This ability allows a Gorgon to completely meld with 
  its host. The Gorgon loses all swarm creatures, instead 
  manifesting as a physical mutation. The Gorgon can only 
  be killed by destroying its host form. A Gorgon cannot 
  possess both the Partial Incorporation and the Total 
  Incorporation powers.
  Defenses Against Gorgons
  Though Gorgons are powerful and insidious creatures, 
  they are not undefeatable. Ordinary mortals normally stand 
  no chance against a Gorgon, but powerful individuals may 
  have the ability to defeat them. Several different defenses 
  exist against Gorgons, and Gorgons can be expelled 
  from their hosts so long as the host has not been entirely 
  corrupted.
  Cantrips
   Some Cantrips have proven effective against Gorgons. 
  For example, Focus boosts a creature’s Psyche, which may 
  be enough to repel a Gorgon’s possession attempt (per 
  the High Psyche section below). Pain when cast on a 
  creature in the process of becoming infested by a Gorgon, 
  temporarily ejects the Gorgon from the host’s body. The 
  Gorgon can try to assimilate the host again when the pain 
  subsides, but the host can use the temporary respite to flee, 
  defend themselves, or kill the Gorgon. Other Cantrips may 
  prove useful, if a caster is creative (or lucky).
  Eidolon Mastery
  Perceiving the Eidolon. An Eidolon Master can spot a 
  Gorgon lurking within a host by using the ability to perceive 
  the Eidolon. Just as a Master can see disease or malignancy 
  within a person, they can also spot the dark distribution of 
  a Gorgon within someone’s form. Spotting a Gorgon is the 
  first step in destroying it.
  Physical Fortification. An Eidolon Master can fortify their 
  
  11
  physical form to resist infestation by a Gorgon. Though 
  maintaining the physical fortification is difficult, an Eidolon 
  Master can usually bolster their forms long enough to 
  escape from a Gorgon (or long enough for the Eidolon 
  Master’s allies to destroy the Gorgon).
  Sanctification of  the Eidolon. An Eidolon Master who has 
  been infested by a Gorgon can manifest this power to evict 
  a Gorgon from their body or the bodies of others, though 
  doing so requires more time and effort than purging a 
  simple infection. 
  High Psyche
  A creature with a Psyche more powerful than the 
  Gorgon’s is able to resist a Gorgon’s possession attempt. 
  If the creature is conscious, they are aware of the Gorgon’s 
  possession attempt and can expel the Gorgon. Some 
  beings with quite powerful psyches are even able to detect 
  a Gorgon’s possession attempt when they are unconscious 
  or asleep. 
  Invocation
  Conceal True Name. As with the Invocation power, it 
  takes a Gorgon four times as long as normal to divine and 
  understand a True Name that has been concealed.
  Ward True Name. If a creature’s True Name has been 
  warded, then a Gorgon suffers the effects of the spell trap 
  when it attempts to divine the creature’s True Name.
  Sorcery Spells
  Death. This is a risky spell to cast on a Gorgon, as it can 
  cause damage to the host, but if the Gorgon has not yet 
  completely overtaken the host’s body a Death spell will 
  kill it. 
  Hosts with Superior or higher-ranked Endurance will 
  experience severe pain, while those with Average-ranked 
  Endurances will require at least a week to recover from 
  the debilitating effects of the Death spell.
  Mind Touch. If a sorcerer casts this spell and overcomes 
  the target’s Psyche, the sorcerer can tell if the creature 
  is infested by a Gorgon and, if so, how far along the 
  transformation is.
  Psychic Ward. A creature within a magical circle is 
  protected from Gorgons who lack the Psyche strength to 
  cross the barrier. Once the ward fails, though, a Gorgon is 
  free to pursue the target within. 
  
  12
  Postscript
  P.S. After having reviewed my notes you might wonder 
  at the risks I took simply to learn more about this 
  fascinating race. I assure you, dear sister, it was worth 
  it. The knowledge I have gained is extraordinary. I’d 
  very much like to share it with you in person. I know 
  I wasn’t going to return home until summer, but I’ve 
  decided to come back right away. Can you track down 
  Eugenie and make sure she knows to come home as 
  well? I’d like to see you both. We have so much we can 
  learn from each other.
  - Min
  Appendix: Quests and 
  Mysteries
  The following section provides four adventure hooks that 
  gamemasters can use to design adventures involving Gorgons.
  The Compromised Heir
  My Lords and Ladies. Your names have come to me through 
  trusted channels, and I am in dire need of  aid. I beseech you 
  to meet me at my palace in Overlath where I can explain 
  more fully. Your actions could save an innocent life…
  A messenger contacts the player characters with an 
  invitation from Rillareneth, a sorceress of moderate power 
  and political influence. She maintains a medieval-style 
  marble palace in the pastoral domain of Overlath and has 
  a reputation as a fair and intelligent Lord.
  If the characters follow the messenger back to Overlath, 
  Rillareneth welcomes them but shows signs of shock 
  and fatigue. Her only child, a young man named Darius, 
  vanished while hunting several days ago. Rillareneth is in 
  the midst of delicate negotiations with a Gossamer Lord 
  (of the gamemaster’s choosing) and cannot search for 
  Darius herself. She asks the characters to look for him.
  The characters can trace Darius’s movements into a 
  nearby forest. His trail leads through the brush and after 
  encounters with dangerous local beasts, the characters find 
  Darius unconscious and feverish at the bottom of a gully, 
  his leg broken and scalp matted with blood. He tells the 
  characters his horse spooked and threw him into the gully, 
  where he’s lain ever since. His faithful hunting hounds, 
  three in all, have guarded him since his fall.
  In truth, the Gossamer Lord with whom Rillareneth 
  negotiates arranged for Darius to be accosted and infested 
  by a Gorgon, manifesting as Darius’s loyal hounds. Even 
  now the creature works to overtake Darius’s thoughts, 
  though it will be two days yet before the transformation is 
  complete. After that, the Gorgon will use Darius to gather 
  information on Rillareneth’s position and report back to 
  its client, allowing the Gossamer Lord an unfair advantage. 
  The characters must discover the presence of the Gorgon 
  and find a way to evict it before Darius is lost.
  Darius’s original hunting hounds were killed and their 
  bodies hidden by the Gorgon that now impersonates 
  him. Members of the court could notice a difference in 
  the hounds’ appearance and behavior, which could set the 
  players on the right trail.
  The Quartzine Echo
  I’ve heard you’re always on the lookout for interesting trinkets. 
  Assuming I got that right, you might want to check out the 
  wooden door with the amethyst bits growing out of  it. You 
  can find it if  you look hard enough, right? You might find 
  what’s on the other side mighty interesting…
  The characters learn the location of a lost artifact, the 
  Quartzine Echo. Legend tells that anything whispered into 
  the purple gemstone echoes within its depths for eternity. 
  By listening to the Quartzine Echo, the musings and 
  secrets of Gossamer Lords long dead, or perhaps those 
  of powerful sorcerers or even a Dwimmerlaik. A character 
  who concentrates on listening to the Quartzine Echo 
  hears a whispered fragment, which could lead to another 
  adventure, reveal the location of a hidden treasure, or 
  simply be a meaningless phrase. The Quartzine Echo can 
  be used in this fashion once per day.
  The Quartzine Echo rests within a mountain shrine at 
  the top of a jagged peak in the world of Mosun. Mosun is 
  a world marked by thousands of massive mountain ranges 
  crisscrossing each other and contains some of the rarest 
  gems, minerals, and ores in existence. It’s also home to 
  living storms, whirlwinds of lightning that pose a challenge 
  even to seasoned adventurers.
  When the characters begin their ascent, they encounter 
  a tribe of rock trolls led by the Gorgon Cragmordan. If 
  the characters treat the rock trolls with respect, they can 
  secure Cragmordan’s aid as a guide to lead them to the 
  mountain shrine. Without the Gorgon’s aid, the journey 
  is full of peril and danger, from rock slides to giant eagles 
  to living storms.
  The characters are not the only band in search of the 
  Quartzine Echo, though. A rival Warden named Aleeris, 
  
  13
  an experienced and dangerous warrior with a band 
  of likeminded followers, also seeks the artifact. If the 
  characters ally with Cragmordan, Aleeris and her followers 
  take a band of rock trolls hostage and attempt to trade 
  them for the Quartzine Echo when the characters descend. 
  If the characters don’t ally with Cragmordan, Aleeris 
  convinces the Gorgon that the characters are actually 
  looking for a weapon with which to destroy the rock 
  trolls. The characters must quickly prove the truth before 
  Cragmordan crushes them. 
  Through The Many-
  Windowed Door
  You’ve seen many wondrous places, I’m sure. But there’s 
  always more to discover, always more to see. Now I’ve heard 
  of  a Door, a Door set with thousands of  windows, each one 
  a stained-glass scene in miniature. Beyond that Door lies a 
  place unlike any you’ve ever seen…
  An adventurer contacts the Characters asking to hire 
  them as partners in an expedition. The adventurer, 
  a young man named Veron, is not a Warden but is 
  fascinated by other worlds and wants to explore as 
  many as possible. He’s heard of  a fantastic land full 
  of  creatures and riches not to be found anywhere else. 
  He wants to partner with the characters and use their 
  experience and ability to open Doors to explore the 
  land. In exchange, he’ll show them the way to the Door. 
  If  asked, Veron says he learned of  this world’s existence 
  from the Gorgon Ashloress in the Agora.
  Veron did, in fact, learn of the Many-Windowed Door 
  from Ashloress, but he did so when their minds touched 
  and they shared information. Veron is a Gorgon as well, his 
  swarm manifesting as a band of small lizards that nest in his 
  clothes and backpack. Ashloress consumed the knowledge 
  of the Many-Windowed Door but lacks the interest to 
  pursue its mysteries herself. Veron has the interest but lacks 
  in ability. Hence his desire to partner with a stronger team, 
  keeping his true nature hidden from the characters.
  Beyond the Many-Windowed Door is a strange world 
  that seems to be an infinite series of chambers. There is no 
  sky or land, just room after room. Some chambers are large 
  enough to hold entire castles and armies, while others are 
  barely small enough for a single person to squeeze through. 
  Long corridors connect these rooms. In the “center” of 
  this world is an enormous spherical chamber, the lair—or 
  perhaps prison—of an ancient dragon. 
  Even with the characters’ help Veron could never defeat 
  a dragon, but if he gets close enough he may be able to 
  infest it. Depending on his relationship with the PCs, Veron 
  may confide in them and ask them to distract the dragon 
  while he infests the creature. Or he may try to persuade 
  the characters to leave without him, or even try to sacrifice 
  them to the dragon in order to get his chance.
  If Veron does infest the dragon with the help of the 
  characters, he finds himself at the mercy of the dragon’s 
  incredibly powerful Psyche. Veron is all but destroyed as 
  he battles with the dragon’s will. During the brief battle, 
  the characters can try to make off with some of the 
  dragon’s treasure, try to kill the creature, or even try to 
  aid it in some way. It could prove a valuable ally, though 
  Ashloress eventually wonders what happened to Veron if 
  he never returns.
  
  14
  
  “Gorgons are unlike any other creatures I’ve studied.  The knowledge is as 
  terrifying as it is fascinating.”
  The Many in One.  This is ogten a term used to describe Gorgons, 
  the multi-bodies creatures that roam the Grand Stair, and make their 
  homes on countless Gossamer worlds.
  Within these pages, a young world-traveling scholar shares her notes 
  on what she has discovered about the mysterious and dangerous 
  Gorgons. Learn about the physiology and psychology behind these 
  hive creatures and how they choose and inhabit a host. Discover the 
  startling powers inherent to the unique make-up of the Gorgons, and 
  how best to counteract them with cantrips, spells, or on of the major 
  powers of Eidolon or Umbra.
  Threats: Peril of the Gorgons also includes new rules, powers, 
  story hooks, and sample Gorgons to threaten, aid and terrify your 
  Gossamer Lord players.
  Written by Amber Scott (Trail of  the Hunted, the CLIQUE playset 
  for the Weave Storytelling game, Chronicle of  the Righteous, Baldur’s Gate: 
  Seige of  the Dragonspear, etc.)
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Amber/Lords Of Gossamer And Shadow/Threats/Perils Of The Gorgon.pdf