This Barrows and Borderlands session hits with the party finding a village out in the Borderlands wilderness where there shouldn't be one! The party went to re equipped for further expeditions but something was off.
This session picks up right from
Borrows and Borderlands New Monster - Cultclassic Without Warning Movie Alien - The Tall One & Session Report
St.Jerome was a perfect village and in point of fact, a bit too perfect. When the PC's figured out what was happening. That in point of fact the villagers were using treasure and weapons to trap adventurers. Then replace with pod people who were sent back to their own home villages with pods to replace others with duplicates.
The PC's put the entire village to the torch,oil, and gun powder explosions!
In the context of the Barrows & Borderlands RPG—which leans heavily into procedural horror and gritty, high-crunch mechanics—the Pod People (or Duplicates) function as an existential "slow-burn" threat. They aren't just monsters; they are a replacement of the social fabric.
The Duplicates (Pod People)
The Duplicates are biological mimics grown from extraterrestrial spores. They possess the memories and mannerisms of the original host but lack all emotional interiority and individuality.
Core Statistics
| Attribute | Value | Notes |
| HD | Equal to Host | Usually 1d8 for commoners |
| AC | 12 (Natural) | Waxy, resilient skin |
| Attack | By Weapon or Grab | Often use improvised tools |
| Sorrow Limit | N/A | Immune to Morale and Sorrow checks |
| Movement | 30' | Identical to human gait |
Special Traits
The Pointing Scream: When a Duplicate identifies a "True Human" who has been outed, they emit a high-pitched, discordant shriek. All Duplicates within 300 feet are alerted and must converge on the location.
The Collective Hush: Duplicates communicate telepathically within a small radius (50 feet). They gain +2 to Initiative and +2 to Hit when fighting in a group of 3 or more against a lone human.
Emotional Void: They are immune to all charm, fear, or mind-affecting abilities that rely on biological "feelings."
The Gestation Process (D6 Procedural Table)
When a character sleeps within 10 feet of a ripening Pod, the "Replacement Cycle" begins. Use the following table to track the progress of the duplication during a Long Rest.
| D6 Roll | Stage of Duplication | Mechanical Effect |
| 1-2 | Dream Siphon | The target suffers -2 to all Mental saves. They feel "hollow" upon waking. |
| 3-4 | Physical Blur | The target's fingerprints begin to smooth over. -1 to Dexterity. |
| 5 | The Deep Lethargy | Target must pass a Hard Constitution Save or fall into a coma-like sleep. |
| 6 | Replacement | The original dies silently. The Pod Person emerges with all the original's gear. |
Detection & Weaknesses
Because Barrows & Borderlands rewards clever play over brute force, players can utilize these specific flaws:
The "Eye Spark" Test: Duplicates lack the rapid eye movement (REM) and the natural moisture of human eyes. In direct, harsh light, they do not show a "spark."
The Somnambulist Flaw: A Duplicate does not require sleep, but they must "re-sync" with the hive mind every 24 hours. If they are prevented from standing still in silence for 1 hour, they begin to sweat a clear, vegetative sap, giving away their nature.
Chemical Sensitivity: They are highly susceptible to concentrated herbicides. An improvised "defoliant grenade" deals 3d6 damage per round to Duplicates, ignoring their natural AC.
Random Encounter Table: The Infested Settlement
If the party enters a town that has already begun the "Turn," roll a D8 to see how the Duplicates react:
1-2: The Stare. The entire market square stops and watches the party in total silence.
3-4: The Welcoming Committee. "People" offer the party free food and lodging (the rooms contain hidden pods).
5-6: The Midnight Harvest. The party wakes to find 1D4 townspeople dragging pods into their stable/inn.
7-8: The Outing. A local child points at a PC and screams; the town immediately turns hostile.
This D100 Table is designed to emphasize the "uncanny valley" and mechanical rigidness of the Duplicates. In a high-crunch system like Barrows & Borderlands, these behaviors can serve as narrative clues for players to roll Perception or Insight checks against the NPC’s Deception (usually a static high floor since they have the host's memories).
D100: Uncanny Behaviors of the Secretly Replaced
| D100 | Behavior/Observation | Mechanical/Narrative Clue |
| 01-05 | The Optical Lag | When the NPC turns their head, their pupils take a fraction of a second longer to adjust to the light than a human's. |
| 06-10 | Monotone Sympathy | The NPC expresses concern for a PC’s injury, but their voice has the flat, rehearsed cadence of a weather report. |
| 11-15 | The Syntax Error | They use a phrase perfectly, then repeat it exactly 30 seconds later in a slightly different context where it doesn’t fit. |
| 16-20 | Vegetative Scent | Within 5 feet, the NPC smells faintly of wet mulch and ozone, rather than human sweat or musk. |
| 21-25 | Joint Rigidity | They sit perfectly still for 10+ minutes. No fidgeting, no scratching, no shifting of weight. |
| 26-30 | The Food Mimic | They chew food and swallow, but their throat muscles don't ripple naturally. They seem to be "storing" the matter. |
| 31-35 | Zero Blink Rate | During a full minute of conversation, the NPC does not blink once. |
| 36-40 | The Group Sync | Three NPCs in the room all pick up their mugs and drink at the exact same micro-second. |
| 41-45 | Memory Fragmenting | They remember the PC's name but forget an emotional detail (e.g., "How is your dead mother?" spoken without malice). |
| 46-50 | Calloused Skin | Their skin feels like high-density foam or soft wood—yielding but lacking the "bounce" of living tissue. |
| 51-55 | The "Hollow" Laugh | They laugh at a joke, but the sound starts and stops instantly, with no trailing breath or lingering smile. |
| 56-60 | Unnatural Strength | The NPC lifts a heavy iron grate or crate with one hand, showing zero physical strain on their facial muscles. |
| 61-65 | The Persistent Lean | When standing, they lean at an angle that should cause a human to lose balance, yet they remain rooted. |
| 66-70 | Rapid Scar Healing | A wound the NPC took an hour ago is already "knitted" with a fibrous, pale green substance. |
| 71-75 | The Communal Stare | They look toward the town square simultaneously with other NPCs, as if hearing a distant, silent bell. |
| 76-80 | Missing Reflexes | A PC drops something loud; the NPC doesn't flinch or even glance toward the sound. |
| 81-85 | Thermal Variance | If touched, their skin temperature is exactly the same as the ambient room temperature. |
| 86-90 | The Iteration Flaw | The NPC has a physical birthmark or tattoo from the original, but it looks "printed" on or slightly blurry. |
| 91-95 | The Sleep Mimicry | Found "sleeping," the NPC is actually wide-eyed, staring at the ceiling in total paralysis. |
| 96-00 | The Spore Leak | A tiny, white fibrous thread (rootlet) is visible, growing out of the NPC's ear or nostril. |
Using this in Play
In Barrows & Borderlands, you can use these as Passive Perception Tiers:
DC 10: The NPC "feels off" or "rude."
DC 15: Notice one specific behavior from the table above.
DC 20+: Realize the NPC isn't breathing or has no pulse.
To fit the high-crunch and gritty procedural nature of Barrows & Borderlands, this D100 table focuses on items that are technically functional but carry a biological "taint."
Many of these items interact with the Sorrow Meter or require Constitution Saves to avoid infection. Use these to tempt players with high-value loot that comes at a disturbing physical or mental cost.
The Contaminated Spoils Table
| D100 | Item Name | Mechanical Benefit | Biological "Taint" / Risk |
| 01-05 | Fibrous Rations | Restores full HP on a Long Rest. | CON Save (DC 14) or your teeth feel "loose" for 24 hours. |
| 06-10 | Waxy Signet Ring | +1 to Charisma checks with "Townsfolk." | The gold is actually hardened sap; it slowly bonds to the wearer's bone. |
| 11-15 | Pulsing Shortsword | Deals +1d6 Acid damage. | On a Natural 1, the hilt pricks the user for 1 DMG; +5 to Sorrow. |
| 16-20 | Spore-Dust Pouch | Can be thrown as a Smoke Bomb (10ft Cloud). | Anyone in the cloud (including the user) must save or "drift" into a trance. |
| 21-25 | Moist Leather Armor | AC 14; grants Advantage on Stealth. | The armor "breathes" audibly in total silence. -2 to Morale. |
| 26-30 | The Mimic’s Map | Shows secret doors/passages in the area. | The ink is living chlorophyll; it "rewrites" itself to lead you toward a Pod. |
| 31-35 | Glassy Eye Marble | Can be "attuned" to see through it remotely. | Requires inserting it into an empty socket or holding it against a closed lid. |
| 36-40 | Veined Gold Coins | Worth 5x standard value to the right buyer. | The coins have "roots." If left in a purse, they consume other non-organic coins. |
| 41-45 | Dormant Pod Husk | Can be used as a one-person sleeping bag. | Advantage on cold saves, but you wake up with 1d4 temporary DEX loss. |
| 46-50 | Rubbery Flint & Steel | Produces a green flame that never goes out. | The "steel" is a calcified extraterrestrial rib. The smoke smells like burnt hair. |
| 51-55 | The Siphoning Canteen | Water inside never runs out. | The water is slightly viscous and sweet. Prolonged use causes "Emotional Dulling." |
| 56-60 | Neural-Link Headband | +2 to Intelligence/Lore checks. | You hear the "Collective Hush" faint whispers at night. +10 to Sorrow. |
| 61-65 | Oily Sharpening Stone | Grants weapons the "Vicious" trait (+2 DMG). | Leaves a thin film of "sap" on the blade that slowly eats through scabbards. |
| 66-70 | Fibrous Crossbow Bolt | Ignores 2 points of non-natural AC. | On a hit, the bolt "roots" into the target, preventing them from moving. |
| 71-75 | The Pale Lantern | Lights up "Duplicates" in a 20ft radius (Red hue). | The fuel is a slurry of human emotions. Costs 1 permanent HP to "refill." |
| 76-80 | Gelatinous Health Pot | Heals 2d8+4 HP instantly. | CON Save (DC 16) or your skin turns a pale, translucent green. |
| 81-85 | Root-Bound Compass | Always points toward the nearest "Source." | The needle is a twitching, dried finger. |
| 86-90 | Calcified Shield | AC +3; can "absorb" one melee attack/turn. | The shield moans when struck. |
| 91-95 | The Mother-Spore Vial | Can "infect" a doorway or chest to guard it. | Extremely volatile. If dropped, the user is immediately targeted for Replacement. |
| 96-00 | Perfect Human Mask | Flawless disguise as a specific (now dead) NPC. | It’s actual skin kept alive by a root system. It tries to "latch" onto your face. |
Managing Contamination
In Barrows & Borderlands, contamination acts as a ticking clock. If a player carries more than 3 items from this table, they should begin suffering from the "Deep Lethargy" (see the Gestation table) even if they aren't near a Pod.
Grit Tip: If a player sells these items in a "clean" city, the infection will likely follow them, turning the merchant into a Duplicate within 1d6 days.
