Primeval Thule has many dangers, from the wild beastmen, to the marauding barbarian tribes, to the alien star-demons that seek an end to the burgeoning human civilizations. Here’s a preview and Pathfinder rules for one such horror.

Stranglers of Nheb: Star-Things of Thule

Humankind is a young race, only a few centuries removed from an existence of brutality and beast-like savagery in the jungles of Thule. But while this age may be the dawn of humankind, there are other races that have lurked in the desolate places of the world for unthinkable eons. Many of these elder races are gone now, but a few still survive in their refuges and hidden strongholds—the moon-beasts, the flying polyps, the mi-go, and more. Of these, none are more inimical or hostile to humankind than the shambling alien monstrosities from the dark moon of Nheb. Stranded in Thule ages ago, these star-things haunt the desolate heights, destroying any travelers that blunder into their ancient citadels.

Star-things are hideous, shambling monstrosities alien to this world. They generally reside in desolate mountain heights, preferring the cold temperatures and rarefied air of the highest peaks. There are few remaining in the world, but they jealously guard their secret retreats and gruesomely murder any who blunder upon them.

While star-things appear to be huge, horrible alien beasts and usually rely on their own physical strength and powerful tentacles in battle, they are actually quite intelligent and command strange magical powers. They are capable of shifting through dimensions to ambush their foes, and have been known to lure invaders to their dooms by mesmerizing them with dancing auroras of eerie witch-lights. They are especially tenacious foes, and often go to great lengths to hunt down enemies who manage to escape them.

Star-things are inscrutable and incommunicative, but they do have understandable motives. First, they dislike being stranded in this world and seek means of escape. They search constantly for rare minerals and crystals, which form the basis for their race’s sorcerous science of dimensional travel. When they discover deposits or collections of these strange reagents, they do not hesitate to seize them by force and slay any who get in their way. Second, they are very sensitive about various ruins and artifacts from the earlier ages of their race’s sojourn in the mortal world, and actively guard any such sites or artifacts from intrusion.

While star-things have little use for humans or other terrestrial beings of any sort, powerful (or foolhardy) spellcasters or cultists have occasionally trafficked with the creatures by bribing them with the rare minerals they seek or the lost artifacts of their race. In the service of someone who knows how to bargain with them, a star-thing can be a peculiarly horrible and effective assassin. It appears without warning, seizes its hapless victim, and drags the struggling prey into the Ethereal. A few minutes later, a strangled and desiccated corpse materializes in front of horrified onlookers, and the star-thing’s awful work is done.