The Shropshire Slasher.

(*Bonus points if you recognized the name from a Daffy Duck cartoon from back in the day.)

For use with Shadowdark or other D20 grimdark fantasy TTRPG. Conceptually, I think this would be a good funnel or gauntlet for Shadowdark or Dungeon Crawl Classics characters. I want to pursue a different take on the trope in the same vein that I used to put my DC Superheroes characters up against the likes of Freddy Krueger and Chucky. Next up will be a tribute to Phantasm or Saw…

The premise: A powerful witch summoned a demon to take revenge on some local teenagers who were regularly stealing from her orchard and taunting her. Unfortunately, the vengeance demon she summoned was incredibly powerful and took things to a new level. Now when the moons are in alignment one day out of the year on a Friday, it rises from the lake. (aka Friday the 13th.) The townspeople close up shop and barricade themselves indoors for a day or two until the danger passes.

The purpose of this demon isn’t to necessarily give the group another monster to kill. The Masked Maniac knows it can’t truly be killed on the material plane, but it is bound by its agreement to only appear once or twice per year for one day only. The idea here is to make the group think outside of killing the monster as opposed to leading it on a merry chase or trapping it somewhere.

The Voorhezeyers Demon. (Undead Demon) AC 19, HP 78, ATK 3 Hell Razor (1d10+3 + Bleeding) OR improvised attack. (See Below.) MV Near, S +6, D +2, C +5,I +4, W +3, Ch +4, AL C, LV 13
Appears as a humanoid bipedal figure roughly 7 feet tall. It is wearing heavy boots and thick leather armor. This demon is easily recognizable by its gladiatorial mask and Hell Razor, a blood-stained, well used machete. This creature plods forth until it finally reaches its victims. Steel and spell only seem to make it more determined to kill indiscriminately.

Impervious. Water and Fire immune. Only damaged by magical sources.
Regeneration 1 HP per 10 rounds.
Improvised attacks: The demon has been known to use other weapons/tactics beyond Hell Razor, but the sword demands regular tributes (See below.) The demon prefers farming implements, tools, or swords, but has been known to strangle or even drown its victims. It never uses ranged weapons unless they are thrown blades or axes.

Hangups: Priest turning only stuns the monster for 5 rounds. A critical success doubles the time. This can only affect the creature ONCE per 24 hours. Holy water does not work on the creature and holy symbols mean almost nothing to it. If it takes the life of a maiden named Laura at birth, it disappears for an entire year. It will also disappear after 13 victims between the relative ages of 14 and 20. (*the townsfolk don’t know this or there would be sacrifices.)

Banishment only affects the creature for ONE Year. At the end of the year, it will reappear and pursue the creature who banished it if possible, or back to the original town if not.

A Wish can confine the creature to Tartarus for 13 years at which time it will return to haunt the person who wished it away, their companions and the families of those companions. Beyond that, it will return from the lake again in 13 years.

Returns: Killing it on any plane outside of Tartarus forces it back to its home plane where it will regenerate and respawn on the next appointed date. If trapped it will work its way free or disappear at the end of the 24 hour cycle.

Hell Razor, +2 Shortsword of Unholy Massacre. If somehow bereft of Hell Razor, it reappears with the demon on the next appointed day of its return. Until then, any character willing or perhaps foolish enough to wield it may do so. They will find it to be quite cursed and murderous.

Hell Razor, functions as a regular +2 Shortsword (1d6+2) in the hands of any non-demon (as opposed to 1d10 + 3 above) A successful hit causes the target creature to bleed for 1 hp cumulative with subsequent attacks until aid or magical healing can be given. On a natural To Hit roll of 13, it inflicts double damage. On a natural hit roll of 18 or 19, it removes one limb or appendage from the target creature. On a natural To Hit roll of 20, the target is decapitated killing it instantly if applicable.

Any character wishing to possess the sword becomes a beacon to all other Undead and Demon types within 100 feet. The wielder’s Alignment automatically becomes Chaotic if it wasn’t already. Each time the weapon draws blood, the wielder will hear an ever-increasing whisper in their ear to do horrible, terrible things to everyone around them. Eventually the whispers become louder even when Hell Razor is not in use. After 13 continuous weeks of whispers, the wielder will become a copycat of the demon, donning a mask and slaying friend  and foe alike indiscriminately until the curse is removed or the wielder is dead.

This curse will end once Hell Razor is sent back to the demon, then a Remove Curse or similar effect is applied to the former wielder. The whispers will gradually become quieter, and the wielder will be cured after several weeks of non-violence under the care of a lawful or neutral Priest, shaman, or druid.