The City Sleeps However Something Else Crawls, Unveiling the Nocturnis Swarm The City's Unseen Itch

 The City Sleeps... But Something Else Crawls: Unveiling the Nocturnis Swarm in Your OpenD6 Neo-Noir

The Nocturnis Swarm: The City's Unseen Itch.

Welcome, fellow adventurers and chroniclers of the strange and sinister! Captain Hedges here, back from another jaunt across the fractured timelines (the less said about the sentient space slugs of '78, the better). But today, our gaze turns inward, to the shadows that cling to the rain-slicked streets of a city perpetually bathed in twilight. Today, we delve into the chilling creation that might just infest your next OpenD6 campaign: The Nocturnis Swarm: The City's Unseen Itch.

For those following my expeditions, you know I've brushed shoulders with cosmic horrors born from exploding realities and witnessed the desperate flight of entire civilizations across dimensions, thanks in no small part to the enigmatic Ether Dragons. I've even seen echoes of earthly conflicts ripple through time, the anxieties of generations clinging to certain locales like a persistent fog. All of these threads, the cosmic and the deeply personal, have woven themselves into the fabric of this new nightmare.

Imagine a city where sleep offers no respite. A creeping paranoia settles over its inhabitants, an incessant itching that transcends the physical. They toss and turn, haunted by whispers just at the edge of hearing, their dreams twisted into vivid terrors. The coffee shops hum with a desperate energy, a nocturnal society fueled by stale brew and the frantic need to stay awake.

This isn't a plague of flesh and blood, my friends. This is the work of the Nocturnis Swarm.

Born from a nexus of cosmic fallout (perhaps a lingering echo of one of my less successful universe-creation experiments?), these aren't your garden-variety bed bugs. Infused with strange energies and perhaps carrying a residue from the desperate evacuation of Troll World, they've become something… more. They are the city's fever, a physical manifestation of its deepest anxieties, feeding not just on blood, but on the very essence of sleep and sanity.

What Makes the Nocturnis So Sinister in OpenD6?

Forget straightforward combat. The Nocturnis are a threat that gnaws at your resources and your minds. In your OpenD6 game, they manifest as:

• Accumulating Fatigue: Their psychic bites and constant presence drain Willpower, leading to debilitating Fatigue levels that impact everything your characters do. Rest becomes a curse, offering no recovery.
• Creeping Paranoia: The "Whispers of Doubt" erode trust and sow discord among even the closest allies. Perception checks become fraught with uncertainty.
• Environmental Decay: Their very presence accelerates the city's decline, making investigations harder and the environment itself a hazard.
• A Hidden Enemy: Their ability to Shadow Phase makes them incredibly difficult to detect and eradicate with conventional means. You can't fight what you can't see, or what slips through the walls.
• The Apex Nymph: At the heart of a major infestation lies a controlling intelligence, a grotesque Hive Core that amplifies the swarm's power and unleashes devastating psychic assaults and city-wide "Dream Plagues."

Nocturnis Swarm (The "Creeping Dread")

When multiple Nocturnis gather, they act as a loose collective, amplifying their abilities. This isn't a single "monster" but an Environmental Hazard or Group Opponent.

• Characteristics: Hundreds to thousands of Nocturnis.
• Threat Level: Escalates from Difficult (15) to Very Difficult (20) as a persistent threat.
• Swarm Attack: Instead of individual bites, a swarm can "attack" an area or target.
  • Area Effect (Psychic): Any character within a Swarm's affected area (e.g., a room, apartment, or entire building floor) is constantly exposed to Psychic Static. They must make a Willpower roll against a Difficulty of 20 (Very Difficult) at the start of each rest attempt. Failure means gaining 1 level of Fatigue and no benefit from the rest.
  • Physical Nuisance: While not dealing direct damage, the sheer number might cause minor penalties (-1D to Dexterity rolls involving fine motor skills, or -1D to Perception rolls not focused on the swarm itself due to constant distraction).
• Nightmare Engine (Special, Recharge 6): If a character attempts a long rest within a significant Nocturnis Swarm's area, and the Swarm succeeds on its Willpower roll (representing its malicious intent, 3D), the character must make a Willpower roll against a Difficulty of 25 (Heroic). On a failure, they gain 1 level of Trauma (a permanent negative effect on a Mental Attribute or Skill until dealt with, like a permanent -1D to Insight or a specific phobia) in addition to Fatigue. On a critical failure, they gain 2 levels of Trauma or are temporarily Incapacitated by pure mental exhaustion for 1D hours.
• Aura of Decay (Special): Buildings and infrastructure within a Swarm's territory degrade faster. Wooden structures become brittle (Difficulty to break reduced by 1D), wiring frays (Difficulty to use electronics increases by 1D), and general maintenance costs skyrocket. This also makes the environment more hazardous (e.g., DC 10 Dexterity checks to avoid falling debris in affected areas).
• Evasion (Special): Attempts to eradicate a Swarm with conventional means (sprays, traps) are usually only temporarily effective. For every 3D of damage or successful eradication attempt, the Swarm's "Fatigue" is reduced by 1D. If the Swarm reaches 0D Fatigue, it disperses or retreats, but will reform if the source is not eliminated. They cannot truly be "killed" in this form, only driven off or contained.

The Apex Nymph / Hive Core (The "Urban Scourge")

The true "brain" of a widespread infestation, often found in a forgotten, dark corner of the city. This is the Primary Antagonist of a campaign arc.

Characteristics: A large, grotesque, immobile mass of interconnected Nocturnis, pulsing with dim, iridescent light. It is the psychic nexus for thousands of smaller Nocturnis.

Threat Level: Heroic (25) to Legendary (30+) as the ultimate target.

Apex Nymph Attributes (Example):

Dexterity: 1D (Immobile)

Knowledge: 4D (Ancient city lore, vulnerabilities, psychic patterns)

Mechanical: 1D

Perception: 5D (Awareness of entire infested area, psychic senses)

Strength: 2D (For crushing things near it)

Technical: 1D

Willpower: 6D (Immense psychic power, mental fortitude)

Special Abilities (Apex Nymph Only):

Dominating Psychic Scream (Action, Special): Targets all characters within a 50m radius. Characters must make a Willpower roll against a Difficulty of 25 (Heroic). On a failure, they take 5D psychic damage and are Stunned for 1D rounds. On a critical failure, they gain 1 level of Insanity (permanent negative mental effect).

Dream Plague (Regional Effect, Recharge 6): Once per 24 hours, the Apex Nymph can manifest nightmarish collective dreams for all sleeping inhabitants within a specific district (e.g., 1km radius). Anyone attempting a long rest must make a Willpower roll against a Difficulty of 20 (Very Difficult). On a failure, they gain 2 levels of Fatigue and 1 level of Trauma.

Environmental Corruption (Constant): The area around the Apex Nymph is profoundly corrupted. Electronics fail (Difficulty to use +2D), structures crumble (Difficulty to break +2D), and a pervasive aura of dread inflicts a permanent -1D penalty to all Willpower rolls within 100m.

Swarm Control (Special): The Apex Nymph can command and coordinate all Nocturnis in its territory, making them swarm specific targets or execute complex maneuvers.

Resilient Core: The Apex Nymph has a significant body (e.g., 5D Body Points) and is immune to non-magical, non-explosive damage. It may have specific vulnerabilities (e.g., extreme heat, a rare chemical, or specific psychic frequencies). Destroying it requires overcoming a Physical Difficulty of 25 (Heroic).

Defeating the Nocturnis:

This is rarely about direct combat. Players will need to:

Investigate: Find the source or cause of the infestation.

Survive: Manage the escalating mental and physical Fatigue and Trauma.

Locate the Core: Discover the Apex Nymph's hidden lair.

Find the Weakness: Research or discover a specific method to destroy the Apex Nymph, which might involve strange chemicals, powerful psychic artifacts, or exploiting its etheric origin.

Integrating the Nocturnis into Your Neo-Noir Campaign:

Think of them as the perfect antagonist for a gritty, psychological thriller:

• The Unseen Force: The initial mystery isn't a murderer, but a city-wide malaise. The players must unravel the strange symptoms and discover the true culprit.
• A Test of Sanity: As the Fatigue and paranoia mount, can the players trust each other? Will they succumb to the city's creeping madness?
• A Different Kind of Investigation: Forget clues left in blood. The evidence lies in the sleepless nights, the frayed nerves, the subtle signs of decay, and perhaps the fragmented nightmares of the afflicted.
• A Desperate Solution: Eradicating the Nocturnis might require more than just bug spray. Perhaps ancient lore, forgotten technology, or even a risky delve into the city's hidden underbelly is needed to find their weakness or the location of the Hive Core.

The Threads of Our Shared Lore:

Keep in mind the echoes of the past that cling to these creatures:

• Did they hitch a ride through a malfunctioning portal controlled by the Ether Dragons?
• Are they a psychic residue of the trauma experienced by veterans and their families from the Tiger Force Shadow Saga, now given horrifying form?
• Could their existence be a lingering side effect of one of my less stable cosmic creations, a tiny tear in reality that allowed something truly nasty to seep through?

The possibilities are as dark and twisting as the city's alleyways.

So, the next time your players find themselves staring down a sleepless night in your OpenD6 Neo-Noir city, consider the source of their discomfort. It might not be the hardboiled dames or the corrupt officials they usually tangle with. It might be the silent, unseen crawl of the Nocturnis Swarm, slowly but surely devouring the city's sanity, one itchy night at a time.

This should give you a solid D6 framework for the Nocturnis at various threat levels, emphasizing their insidious nature for your Neo-Noir game!

Sweet dreams… if you can manage them.

Captain Hedges, signing off (for now). Try not to scratch.

OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a The following text is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and is Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc ("Wizards"). All Rights Reserved. [ ... (rest of the OGL text from Sections 1 through 14) ... ] 15. COPYRIGHT NOTICE Open Game License v 1.0a Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc. D6 System Copyright 2004, Purgatory Publishing Inc. D6 Adventure Copyright 2004, Purgatory Publishing Inc. D6 Fantasy Copyright 2004, Purgatory Publishing Inc. D6 Space Copyright 2004, Purgatory Publishing Inc. Mini Six Bare Bones Edition Copyright 2010, AntiPaladin Games. [Your Product Title, e.g., Nocturnis Swarm: The City's Unseen Itch], Copyright 2025, [Your Name or Name of Your Company]. **PRODUCT IDENTITY:** The following items are hereby identified as Product Identity, as defined in the Open Game License version 1.0a, Section 1(e), and are not Open Content: The names "Nocturnis," "**The Adventures of Captain Hedges Across Time and Space**," and all content found within the associated **Blog articles**; the specific lore and background of the "Nocturnis Swarm" (including its origin related to a **cosmic apocalypse, creation, control, and eventual explosion or implosion of multiverses**; its connection to **Ether Dragons controlling multiverse portals**; the **evacuation of Troll World to Zimarala**; its link to the **Tiger Force Shadow Saga, the Vietnam War, Desert Shield and Desert Storm operations, and the involvement of soldiers' children**; its nature as an "Etheric Ectoparasite" or "Mutated Urban Insect"); the specific names of its abilities ("Psychic Static," "Shadow Phasing," "Nightmare Engine," "Whispers of Doubt," "Aura of Decay," "Dream Plague," "Psychic Scream," "Apex Nymph," "Hive Core," "Siphon City Heat," "Control Over City Rats/Pigeons"); the specific narrative themes of "The City's Unseen Itch," "Nocturnis Neo-Noir," and all unique descriptive text, artwork, and trade dress associated with these concepts. All character names, story elements, plots, and unique settings from [Your Product Title] are Product Identity. **OPEN GAME CONTENT:** The Open Game Content includes the game mechanics derived from the OpenD6 System Reference Document (including attribute and skill dice codes, core combat rules, Fatigue, and general special ability structures for monsters as presented in the OpenD6 SRD). All game rules and mechanics that are not explicitly defined as Product Identity, and that are derived from the OpenD6 System Reference Document, are Open Game Content.