New Monster: Xegamian Servant-Manikin

Well, last session the PCs found that the Stonewills' household "help" was of the creepy doll variety. Particularly Frederick, who got gang-tackled by several of the automaton servants twice, taking significant bite and scratch damage each time. Not to mention everyone feeling a bit wigged out by the whole thing.

Source

Xegamian Servant-Manikin:
Crafted in the alchemical research-crèches tucked away in the outskirts of the city-state of Xegam, servant-manikins are desired by customers who prefer their help to be silent and unlikely to pick up rumors or pilfer the silverware. Not to mention requiring no wages and limited upkeep.

Although they were developed primarily for domestic duties, for a bit more coin, the manikins can be imbued with attributes to guard the master's household while they are away or asleep.

Although the exact components and mechanisms for crafting such automatons is a closely-held secret, disassembly of the manikins has revealed them to be composed of a variety of articulated wooden and metal limbs joined to a ceramic torso and topped with a crafted doll head. Many owners with particular tastes and a bit extra coin order custom-crafted heads that are whimsical or artistic. 

Breaching the torso releases a number of preserved organs and nervous system elements in a galvanic fluid. Rumors and espionage into the creation of the manikins indicates that the organs are mostly harvested from accident victims or the condemned, and preserved in such a way to "program" the doll for its future duties. While not admitted by their creators, there is a limited (5%) chance that the harvested organs may cause an individual doll to retain some memories or personality of its prior life.

Each manikin is "taught" its normal tasks by inscribing a "code-leaf," a strip of thick parchment, with a combination of sigils and punched holes, which are then inserted into a slot in the back of the head. Most owners keep a small library of code-leaves available to cover miscellaneous tasks or particular recipes for their servants to prepare.

Basic stats:

1HD, AC 6/13, Atk: 1d2, able to perform normal housekeeping or domestic tacks, understands verbal commands. Automaton/artificial being, immune to sleep and mind control spells.  

Modified servant-mankins come in four flavors:

1. Stabby: 2HD, Atk: 1d4x2, a stouter servant-manikin equipped with a pair of extendable dagger blades in its forearms for home defence.

2. Sleepy: 2HD, Atk: 1d4+poison (save or slowed, 1d4 turns), each manikin is equipped with a hollow blade containing four doses of poison.

3. Screamy: 1HD, Atk: nil, alarm call to alert household. Summons 1d4+1 random manikins in 1d3 rounds (up to household maximum). 

4. Swarmy: 1HD, Atk: 1d6+2 manikins will appear and drag down an opponent, causing 1d2 points per round per manikin. Escape via penalized contested STR roll (d20+bonuses-1 per manikin) 

Source

Edit:

Recent "inquiries" in the city-state of Xegam have indicated that the manikin fabricators have attempted to create stronger servant manikins, hoping to solve the material cost barrier of golem creation. However, such attempts have so far failed, with the mental/command instability of higher hit die manikins increasing markedly with each hit die greater than two. (Chance of past memories/general homicidal tendencies increases to 15% per hit die greater than 2).

Stabby 2: 3HD; AC 5/14; Atk: 1d6x2dmg; An upgraded servant-manikin equipped with a pair of extendable forearm blades for defense. Used for security and guard purposes. Ceramic masks of various designs conceal what lies beneath. Automaton/artificial being, immune to sleep and mind control spells.  

Late Delivery: Secret Santicorn 2023

 Christmas gifts that keep on giving? 

For the OSR secret santicorn, you've been paired with wyattwashere, who wants “A list of modern/urban creatures for use in horror-investigation games like Call of Cthulhu or Delta Green. The weirder and more niche the better!”

Been on this one for a bit. 

I read through my Delta Green quickstart, and thumbed through my CoC. Through it all, the Hounds of Tindalos kept popping up in my imagination.

Good puppy (source)

So why not start from there?

<writing ensues>  

For inspiration, downloaded a glut of images from artist 0nedes, who heavily inspired a prior writing exercise, also with a dark horror/post-apocalypse vibe. 

I mean look at this cutie: 

Who could deny a darling creature like that? "Honey, it wants in!"

Additional inspiration via Dan Davis History, with a bit of Crecganford and Esoterica. Soundtrack by Cryo Chamber and other Dark Ambient channels.

So I'm not sure that I met the criteria for modern/urban, just for the fact that I created a mini-Mythos dating back to Neanderthal times and heavily influenced by Stone to early Bronze Age Indo-European cultures and myths. I mean, why use the published material when you can start from scratch? That said, I rounded up several modern references and occurrences that dovetail in with a potential 'reawakening' of beings/creatures, as well as some descriptions of the misguided or corrupted souls who may want to interact with it.

They Called Them Wolves (link permissions fixed)

Thanks also to Archon's Court for shepherding the project through this year.