...and I looked, and behold a pale horse

[Velox]

"and his name who sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him" Revelations 6:8

The world has been burned into ash, destroyed in a storm of nuclear fire. Now the Four Horsemen of the Apocolypse - War, Pestilence, Famine, and Death - ride the land and give birth to abominations straight from humanity's nightmares (see "Fun with Gun Monsters" thread).

Help me think up cool Horsemen themed monsters!

(Note: Deadlands: Hell on Earth is not D20 based; but concepts and ideas are welcome and indeed, it's what I'm after.)

Fun fact: The word apocalypse means "the lifting of the veil", and this is where the term "revelation" comes from in the new testament. It has been written in some versions as "the Apocalypse of John".

[So-Keher]

Pestilance: Take the idea of the creature from oriental adventures made from worms but instead make him a mas of disease-ridden flies. His form would take that of a humanoid and he wears a cloak, etc. to disguise his appearance from a distance. His horse is sickly and weak looking but in actuality very strong.

Special attacks:
enervating touch
nauseating gaze: target must succeed will save or become nauseated for X rounds. (actual effects up to you)
stench of rot: any creatures within a radius of 50 feet of pestilence must make a will save every round (or 2 maybe). A failed save means the character has contracted a disease (chosen at random). The disease stays until it is removed. by wish, miracle, etc.  Once a character contracts a disease he cannot get another from the same effect for the duration of the encounter (no stacking)

[So-Keher]

Pictures for Inspiration!

[spoiler=Famine or Pestilence?][/spoiler]

[spoiler=Guys like these with guns for minions of War][/spoiler]
[spoiler=another][/spoiler]

[Matt Larkin (author)]

A classic grim reaper image, but on a horse for death.

[SDragon]

Pictures for Inspiration!

[spoiler=Famine or Pestilence?][/spoiler]

[spoiler=Guys like these with guns for minions of War][/spoiler]
[spoiler=another][/spoiler]

MM2?

phoenix, the traditional image of the grim reaper is on a horse. i think the idea of a skeletal monk (not Monk, as in the class, mind you) would fit, though.

[So-Keher]

MM2?

Yeah one of them lol

[Matt Larkin (author)]

phoenix, the traditional image of the grim reaper is on a horse. i think the idea of a skeletal monk (not Monk, as in the class, mind you) would fit, though.

I disagree.  I have never seen this except when tied to the horseman.  I would argue the classic (the word I used) image is Charon, the boatman.

To be certain I Wikied it (when in doubt...).  The only mention of a horse is when tied to Death (the horseman).

More importantly, the image of Death as a Monk rocks!  Instead of a scythe, give him a kusari-gama.  Come, you know you want to see him do a back-flip.  Flurry of slay living!

[Stargate525]

More importantly, the image of Death as a Monk rocks!  Instead of a scythe, give him a kusari-gama.  Come, you know you want to see him do a back-flip.  Flurry of slay living!

why does he have to have a long curved famring implement in the first place? Oddly enough, it's from later on in revelation, and it isn't even a scythe, it's a sickle.

Be weird, give death a mace.

[the_taken]

Longsword, battleaxe, bone hammer. Dagger. If it can kill you, the reaper will know how to use it, and he'll probably be hidding one in his big spooky robe.

[So-Keher]

He shouldn't even need weapons. Maybe a gaze of death or something like a bodak.

[Velox]

According to Deadlands game canon, nobody knows what the big "D" looks like because just seeing him is enough to kill you. Everybody pretty much just goes offa old Blue Oyster Cult albums and Monty Python's "The Meaning of Life". It's not like getting close enough to peep the guy would be easy; there's gotta be an army of zombies and undead horrors follwing the guy around.

[SDragon]

More importantly, the image of Death as a Monk rocks!  Instead of a scythe, give him a kusari-gama.  Come, you know you want to see him do a back-flip.  Flurry of slay living!

why does he have to have a long curved famring implement in the first place? Oddly enough, it's from later on in revelation, and it isn't even a scythe, it's a sickle.

Be weird, give death a mace.

it isn't used as a weapon, but rather as a tool for harvesting the souls of the dead. as pointed out, a weapon in the hands of the embodiment of our ultimate demise is just.... silly.

[beejazz]

Death should not necessarily be skeletal. His avatar, maybe... but Death itself should look a hell of alot scarier... alternately, consider a snappy Ghede-esque death in a black suit, tie, and tophat. Give him a cane and glasses with one blacked out lens.

[Velox]

oooh, dapper death!

I'm not talking about Mr. Rieper here. No, this "Death" isn't a simple underworld public servant. This "Death" is a manifestation of destruction, a tool of wrath, showing the facet of human death in its purest form; just plain dead. Definately menacing and horrible as hell.

[beejazz]

Then show it as a corpse. And an immobile and inanimate corpse at that. There's nothing creepier than getting your ass kicked by something that doesn't even move.