Ghouls

Ghouls

"The body snatchers of Boot Hill ain't just looters—they're something far worse."

What Are They?

Here's something that'll turn your stomach: ghouls are living creatures that feed on the dead. Not undead, not possessed by manitous—just twisted, corrupted humans who've fallen so far from grace that they've become something else entirely. Something that crawls through the earth like worms, dragging corpses into the dark to feast.

Ghouls are necrophages—eaters of the dead. They're cowardly, feral, and utterly revolting creatures that infest graveyards, battlefields, and anywhere else corpses pile up. They prefer fresh meat, but they'll gnaw on bones that've been in the ground for months if that's all they can get.

The truly horrifying part? They used to be human. Most ghouls are former cannibals who crossed the line and kept going. Once you develop a taste for human flesh, something changes. Your body warps, your mind degrades, and you become one of the things that decent folks tell ghost stories about.

Appearance

Ghouls look like something that's been dead for a week decided to get up and walk around anyway. They stand about five feet tall but appear shorter due to their stooped, shuffling gait. Their skin is corpse-gray and covered in pus-filled sores that weep constantly. Their hands end in razor-sharp claws, and their mouths are full of wicked, pointed teeth perfect for tearing flesh from bone.

Their eyes are the worst part—faintly glowing red orbs that can see perfectly in complete darkness. When you spot that crimson gleam in the shadows of a graveyard, you've got maybe seconds to decide whether to fight or run.

Some ghouls dress in clothing scavenged from their victims. Others don't bother and go completely naked, their gray flesh covered in dirt, blood, and worse. Either way, you'll smell them long before you see them. The stench of rot and decay clings to ghouls like a second skin.

Behavior and Society

Ghouls are cowards above ground. If confronted in the open, they'll flee rather than fight, scurrying back to their underground lairs like rats. But that cowardice vanishes once they're in their element—the maze-like tunnels beneath graveyards and battlefields.

Pack Structure

Ghouls live in colonies of 6-10 individuals, though larger groups exist in areas with plentiful food sources. The strongest ghoul in a region becomes the ghoul king—a bloated, grotesque creature that commands absolute loyalty from its subjects through a combination of cunning and brutal violence.

Ghoul kings are smarter than common ghouls and retain more of their human intelligence. They organize hunting parties, plan raids on graveyards, and even coordinate attacks on the living when the opportunity presents itself. Under a clever king's leadership, ghouls become far more than simple scavengers—they become hunters.

Hunting and Feeding

Ghouls traditionally scavenge corpses from battlefields, graveyards, and anywhere else the dead pile up. They prefer fresh meat but will eat anything they can dig up. After a ghoul finishes feeding, there's usually nothing left but well-gnawed bones.

Under the leadership of intelligent ghoul kings, some colonies have moved beyond scavenging to active hunting. They track wounded travelers, stalk isolated homesteads, and drag living victims into their tunnels to "age" before consumption. These hunting parties typically number 2-6 ghouls and operate exclusively at night.

Where You'll Find Them

Ghouls nest underground in areas with ready access to corpses:

• Graveyards and cemeteries—especially large ones like Boot Hill in Dodge City
• Old battlefields—Civil War sites with thousands of shallow graves are ghoul paradise
• Abandoned towns—places where everyone died from plague or massacre
• Canyon systems—the Grand Canyon hosts a massive colony of 150+ ghouls
• Any area with mass graves—disaster sites, execution grounds, or plague pits

Their lairs consist of maze-like tunnel networks connected to a central den where they drag victims to feed. The den is usually littered with bones, rotting flesh, and the belongings of past meals. Ghoul kings rarely leave their deep chambers, presiding over their domains like twisted monarchs.

Combat Capabilities

Don't let their cowardice fool you—ghouls are deadly combatants when fighting on their own terms.

Above Ground

In daylight or open spaces, ghouls are skittish and will flee at the first sign of serious resistance. They suffer a -4 penalty to all actions in bright light (anything brighter than a torch or lantern). Use this to your advantage if you can force them into the open.

Below Ground

In their tunnels, ghouls transform from cowards to cunning predators. They know every twist and turn of their lairs and use this knowledge ruthlessly:

• Surround and Trap: Multiple ghouls attack from different directions, cutting off escape routes
• Tunnel Collapse: They'll deliberately collapse sections of tunnel on intruders, then feast on the suffocated victims
• Night Vision: Perfect sight in complete darkness while their prey fumbles blind
• Coordinated Attacks: Under a ghoul king's direction, they fight with tactical precision

Special Abilities

Claws and Bite: Ghouls fight with razor-sharp claws that can shred flesh and a vicious bite that injects paralyzing venom.

Paralytic Poison: Anyone bitten by a ghoul and suffering at least 1 Wind must make a Hard (9) Vigor roll. Failure means the victim is stunned (in addition to any stun from actual wounds) until they can make an Onerous (7) Vigor roll to shake it off. This poison is how ghouls take prey alive for later consumption.

Nauseating Stench: Anyone within 20 feet of a ghoul must make a Fair (5) Vigor roll or lose their lunch and 1d6 actions. This roll is only made once per encounter, but the penalty can be devastating in combat. The stench also makes ghouls very easy to track.

Perfect Night Vision: Ghouls see in complete darkness as if it were daylight. Their glowing red eyes are often the only warning you get before they strike.

How to Kill Them

Unlike undead, ghouls can be killed by conventional means. They're living creatures, so headshots aren't specifically required—any wound that would kill a person will kill a ghoul. However, they're tougher than they look and won't go down easy.

The Horror of Becoming

Here's the truly terrifying truth about ghouls: they used to be human, and you could become one.

Cannibalism is the path to ghouldom. Those who consume human flesh in the Weird West—whether from starvation, madness, or choice—risk transformation. The process is similar to how cannibals in colder climates become wendigos. Each time you eat human meat, you risk crossing the line from human to monster.

If the cannibal's victim was a close friend or relative, the transformation produces a ghoul king who retains their intelligence and statistics. These creatures often remember their former lives and suffer from the knowledge of what they've become—though that rarely stops them from ruling their colonies with an iron claw.

Notable Ghouls and Colonies

The Boot Hill Colony (Dodge City)

Twenty ghouls nest beneath Dodge City's famous Boot Hill cemetery. They've grown bold, stalking the streets at night for fresh corpses. Most citizens blame mysterious disappearances on looters or coyotes. The Troubleshooters know better.

The Grand Canyon Colony

Over 150 ghouls inhabit the caverns beneath the Grand Canyon, making it one of the largest known colonies in the Weird West. Under the leadership of their king, these ghouls have moved beyond scavenging to organized hunting, preying on native tribes and unwary explorers.

Survivor Accounts

From the journal of Deputy Marshal Tom Henderson:

"We tracked the body snatchers to a hole beneath the old cemetery. Sheriff said to leave it be, but three children had gone missing that week, and we had to know. Five of us went down with torches and shotguns. The smell hit us first—like a slaughterhouse in August. Then we saw them. Gray things with glowing red eyes, scuttling through tunnels too small for a man to stand in. They collapsed a section of tunnel on Murphy and Jensen. Heard them screaming as the things dragged them deeper. The three of us who made it out sealed that entrance with dynamite. Sometimes at night I still hear Murphy screaming. The sheriff was right. We should have left it be."

Report from Dr. Helena Strauss, Dodge City physician:

"I've treated two patients who survived ghoul attacks. Both were bitten during nighttime encounters near Boot Hill. The venom causes complete paralysis of the affected limb for 2-4 days. One patient, a gambler named Collins, described being dragged into a tunnel while fully conscious but unable to move. He only escaped because his companions acted quickly. The psychological trauma was severe—he left Dodge the next day and never returned. The other patient wasn't so fortunate. We found what was left of him three days later in a shallow grave. The bite marks suggested he was alive when they started feeding. I've taken to carrying a derringer when making house calls after dark. I suggest everyone in Dodge do the same."

Troubleshooter Tips

1. Respect Their Territory: If you must enter ghoul tunnels, go prepared or don't go at all. Bring multiple light sources, mark your path, and have backup waiting above ground.

2. Watch the Graveyards: If bodies start disappearing from cemeteries, assume ghouls until proven otherwise. Fresh graves are their favorite targets.

3. Trust Your Nose: The stench of ghouls is unmistakable. If you smell rot and decay where there shouldn't be any, get ready for a fight.

4. Never Pursue Alone: A fleeing ghoul is trying to lead you into a trap. Don't follow unless you've got backup and plenty of ammunition.

5. Kill the King: If you're facing an organized ghoul colony, find and eliminate the ghoul king. Without leadership, the colony will likely scatter or turn on itself.

6. Burn the Bodies: If you kill ghouls, burn the corpses. They're not undead, but they're still an abomination, and their remains attract worse things.

"They used to be human. Remember that when you put them down—it could have been you."