Statting Slaughterers

[Demigod Beast]

Assuming a Slaughterer could be conjured up from Duat by some special means, how would one stat them? Mummy references them as demons, but are they Inferno-style demons, or just really nasty natives of Duat?

[Teatime]

I assume it's the latter. There are many entities in CofD that are referred to as demons. Although we know little about Slaughterers, Leliel came up with a neat bit of homebrew:

Link

[Azahul]

They're not really described as doing much more than attacking/flagellating souls on their way to Duat, so you'd probably be ok to stat them up as Ephemeral Beings with no or limited Numen. If they've got claws and stingers or something and can materialize you've probably captured them as close to their depiction in the lore.

[Demigod Beast]

Why no Numina? A few Utterances mention the Slaughterers forming weapons from their breath and blood. Wouldn’t that qualify as Numina? Or...would they have Utterances, instead?

[Azahul]

Just because they don't really seem to do much more than hit things. The lack of Numina is just because I can't think of many that particularly suite them. There are plenty you could justify if you wanted to, but supernatural powers on top of being ephemeral don't seem particularly integral to statting out Slaughterers. You could take them or leave them.

[Demigod Beast]

Since they never leave Duat, I’d assume the Slaughterers would have no Manifestations...

[Azahul]

Since Mummy is still 1e, I'm not assuming Manifestations are even a thing.

[Demigod Beast]

Would they have a Malpraxis, like demons of the Inferno? If so I’d imagine it’d be Wrath!

[Tessie]

Perhaps the Dread Powers of generic Horrors (CofD, p.144) or Claimed (WtF, p. 210) are more fitting than Numina and Influences? Also, are Slaughterers confirmed to be ephemeral entities? If not, then they could already be physical when in the material, just like Pangaeans (Dark Eras: Sundered World) and Supernal entities (MtA), two types of beings that also use the rules for ephemeral entities.

[Demigod Beast]

They only exist in Duat. Summoning them has never, to my knowledge, ever occurred. And they’re repeatedly referred to as demons. So, yes, I’d say they were ephemeral entities. It’s just a moot point as, within Duat Slaughterers may as well be Materialized.

I ask about Utterances, as they are the magic of mummies and Shan’iatu, so I was wondering if by default Slaughterers would have them. Slaughterers serve the Judges, too, after all...!

[SunlessNick]

Would they have a Malpraxis, like demons of the Inferno?

I doubt it - they don't tempt anyone - they only ever interact with entities already in Duat.

[Tessie]

And they’re repeatedly referred to as demons. So, yes, I’d say they were ephemeral entities.

I don't see the connection, unless you're interpreting them as being infernal demons.

[Demigod Beast]

I don't see the connection, unless you're interpreting them as being infernal demons.

That’s what i was wondering—-are Slaughterers Inferno demons? Or just really nasty spirits.

[Tessie]

Two beings being called the same thing is not uncommon. Especially not when it comes to demons, where "demon" is the name of several types of entities in CofD, and a descriptor for countless other entities. I think the best thing would be to assume they're different unless there is reason to believe they're somehow related.

[Demigod Beast]

Ah! Ok!

So, as to forming weapons from their breath and blood, should I just state their unarmed attacks do Lethal damage, as opposed to Numina, of any sort? I ask because mages could, in theory, call up a Slaughterer, as the chthonic things in the Lower Depths most explicitly can be summoned. And, in a To the Strongest game, the Weret-Hekau know all about this sort of thing.