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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Echohawk" data-source="post: 4270411" data-attributes="member: 9849">SplanxtyFREQUENCY: RareNO. APPEARING: 1ARMOUR CLASS: 7MOVE: 15”//15"HIT DICE: 2% IN LAIR: 100%TREASURE TYPE: QNO. OF ATTACKS: 1 (bow) and 2 (special)DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-3 + special (see below)SPECIAL ATTACKS: See belowSPECIAL DEFENCES: See belowMAGIC RESISTANCE: 30%INTELLIGENCE: VeryALIGNMENT: Chaotic NeutralSIZE: S (18” tall)PSIONIC ABILITY: NilAttack/Defence Moded: NilLEVEL/X.P. VALUE: III/113+2 per hit pointSplanxties are mischievous water-dwelling creatures related, it is said, to both nixies and leprechauns. They live in swiftmoving bodies of water (mountain streams, rapids, waterfalls, and so on) and never move far from such torrents. They are never surprised and, while in contact with flowing water, can hide so as to be 50% undetectable (cf. thief's hide in shadows ability).Although they are fairly intelligent, splanxties are extremely childish and have a correspondingly irritating sense of humour. They delight in harrassing and fooling people with practical jokes, harmless traps and riddles, and will often arrogantly demand tribute in the form of gems.So long as a splanxty is not attacked and its victims provide it with amusement, it will not use any of its abilities in an aggressive manner. However, if those victims attack it or refuse to 'play along' it will attack wildly, in a fit of childish temper, using every means at its disposal. When so annoyed, the splanxty will usually (80% chance) jump up and down in irritation and so reveal its location.Splanxties carry fine, tiny bows (similar to those of pixies). Their arrows are all +4 to hit, cause 1-3 hit points of damage and a loss of 1 point of strength for 1-4 hours. These bows and arrows can only be used by splanxties.Once per day, a splanxty can create an illusion with both audible and visual components which lasts without concentration for d6+10 rounds or until magically dispelled. Splanxties are also able to throw their voices (cf. ventriloquism spell) and to imitate the speech of all humans and demihumans (although they are only able to speak in the common tongue).A splanxty can animate small quantities of water (up to 60 feet away) to create irritating splashes, jets and so forth. Alternatively, the jets can be made to strike out at creatures within 5 feet of the torrent. Up to two attacks per round can be made in this way, and thc splanxty may perform other actions at the same time. Each jet has a THAC0 of 16, and causes 1 hit point of damage. Striking at the water with weapons will not affect these attacks in any way. Once every 3 rounds a splanxty can move instantaneously between any two points joined by flowing water (up to 100 feet apart).Physically, splanxties resemble small, thin children. Their loose-fitting robes are actually made of white linen but, while being worn by a splanxty appear to be made of constantly moving water.Jade FishCLIMATE/TERRAIN: Any (see below)FREQUENCY: Very rareORGANIZATION: SolitaryACTIVITY CYCLE: AnyDIET: CarnivoreINTELLIGENCE: Highly (13-14)TREASURE: See belowALIGNMENT: NeutralNO. APPEARING:1ARMOR CLASS: 6MOVEMENT: Sw 15HIT DICE: 3+3THAC0: 17NO. OF ATTACKS: 1DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-2SPECIAL ATTACKS: SpittingSPECIAL DEFENSE: NilMAGIC RESISTANCE: 25%SIZE: T (up to 2' long)MORALE: Steady (11-12)XP VALUE: 650Jade fish are sleek, beautiful creatures- with deep green scales and wide, bright green eyes. Jade fish are able to continuously produce water, an ability for which they were once greatly prized. Now, they are so rare that few know of their magical abilities.Intelligent creatures, jade fish observe the world around them, learning what they can. They will generally learn to speak the most common languase in the area and will often answer questions if asked politely and given a gift. A jade fish will have knowledge equivalent to that given by a local history nonweapon proficiency.Combat: Jade fish prefer to avoid combat, though they will defend themselves and they do attack small animals for food. The bite of a jade fish causes only one or two points of damage, but the creature can spit a powerful jet of water at animals that venture close enough to the jade fish's pool.The stream of water has a range of five feet and causes 1d10 hit points of damage on a successful hit. The jade fish will try to attack so that the victim falls into the pool. Once a victim is killed, the jade fish will nibble on it until only bones are left.Habitat/Society: Myths hold that jade fish were created by a rain goddess to help her chosen people live in the desert. These beautiful, magical fish produce prodigious amounts of water from their mouths, filling any pool in which they are placed until it overflows.A jade fish can be found almost anywhere, since it essentially creates its own environment. If placed in an area where its water cannot collect and form a pool, however, it will eventually die. In contrast, it also needs to be in a place where some of the water it produces can run off, or it wiil create enough water pressure to crush itself.Jade fish were greatly valued for their ability to create almost infinite amounts of water (up to four gallons per hour), and many were taken into captivity. The fish didn't mind their captivity, however. It gave them an opportunity to learn, and most of their captors treated them as guests, bringing them gifts of food and valuable gems and coins.Since jade fish are now found only in captivity, or in places where they were once brought to by others, they rarely seek out a mate. Instead, jade fish have come to rely on their human caretakers to bring a male and female together. At such times, they go through an elaborate underwater mating dance that lasts for up to a week. The female lays eggs two years after mating, and those eggs hatch 18 months later. The newly hatched fish are brilliant emerald, gradually darkening over the next 25 years as they grow to maturity. Jade fish can live for centuries, and some say there are a few more than a millennium old. The scales of a jade fish continue to darken as they age, and the oldest ones have scales that are almost black.Ecology: Unlike most creatures, a jade fish can actually create its ecology. It does its best to patrol the pool it creates, trying to ensure that all residents live in relative harmony.Jade fish seldom hunt for food as they quire very little sustenance. However, they are able to defend themselves handily. Most unintelligent predators aeem to regard them with something akin to awe and attack them in only the worst circumstances.Despite persistent rumors to the contrary, the water produced by jade fish is not magical in any way, though it is always fresh and dear. If a jade fish in injured, though, the water will become cloudy until it heals.Jade fish care little for treasure, but many have become accustomed to the gifts their caretakers give them. They feel honored by those gifts and will not willingly part with them except for a very good reason.The value of a jade fish varies greatly. It is of almost immeasurable value to people who dwell in deserts, since the fish can provide life to them. Those who live in wetter regions tend to value the fish less, but they still admire the rarity, beauty, and wisdom of the green fish.ShadowcrawlerCLIMATE/TERRAIN: SubterraneanFREQUENCY: Very rareORGANIZATION: SolitaryACTIVITY CYCLE: Any (prefers darkness)DIET: BloodINTELLIGENCE: Very (11-12)TREASURE: NilALIGNMENT: Neutral evilNO. APPEARING: 1ARMOR CLASS: 4MOVEMENT: 15HIT DICE: 7THAC0: 13NO. OF ATTACKS: 5DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1d4x4, 1d6SPECIAL ATACKS: Surprise, hug, blood drainSPECIAL DEFENSES: Phasing, wall crawlingMAGIC RESISTANCE: NilSIZE: M (5' long, 2' tall)MORALE: Average (8-10)XP VALUE: 3,000Shadowcrawlers are sly predators that prowl subterranean areas hunting for prey. They appear to be some sort of strange cross between cats and spiders, and they are very likely the unfortunate result of magical experimentation.A shadowcrawler's body is covered in soft, short hair of purest ebony. It has eight legs that stick out laterally from its body, which appears almost segmented because of its series of shoulders. The feet of a shadowcrawler look much like cat paws, complete with retractable claws. The shadowcrawler's head and eyes are also very catlike in appearance, though its snout is longer. The creature's tail looks much like a cat's tail.Some shadowcrawlers, perhaps 10%, have learned to speak rough Common or a different local language. Their speech is guttural. They have no known language.Combat: Shadowcrawlers are cunning predators and wiil often lie in wait for hours for a good catch or stalk a group of animals (or adventurers) for long periods of time, waiting to attack a straggler. These creatures can travel on wall and ceilings just like spiders, and they will often hang above a doorway to wait for prey. A shadowcrawler will never attack any creature that is larger than an average human.When in darkness, a shadowcrawler is totally silent and almost invisible. Opponents receive a -4 penalty to their surprise rolls when confronting a shadowcrawler.A shadowcrawler will attack only one opponent at a time. When attacking its chosen target, a shadowcrawler rears up on its four back legs and strikes with its four front claws, causing ld4 damage per successful hit. At the same time, it will attempt to bite for 1d6 hit points of damage. If two or more of its claws hit, it draws its victim into a hug and begins dragging him off, using its powerful rear legs to backpedal at a movement rate of 9. The victim of a hug can break fire with a successful bend bats/lift gates roll, but he is otherwise immobile, taking ld4 points of crushing damage each round.If a shadowcrawler's bite hits in the same round as a successful hug or while a victim is being held, the creature will drain lood at a rate of 1d6 hit points per round.Shadowcrawlers also have the ability to phase through solid material at will. If wounded for more than 10 hit points in a single round, a shadowcrawler will drop any victim it holds and phase into the surrounding rock, vanishing for 1-3 rounds. The shadowcrawler moves through rock at its normal movement rate while phased, and it cannot be detected except by magical means. If it still wishes to press the attack, the creature will lunge out of the rock and try to attack with surprise, efther from above or behind its victim if possible.A shadowcrawler is able to phase through rock while holding a victim, though it must pause for an entire round before doing so. It can take no other action besides holding its victim, draining blood if it has already begun to do so, and preparing to phase.A phase door spell will instantly kill a shadowcrawler if cast on it while the creature is phasing through solid material.Habitat/Society: Shadowcrawlers have an ingrained hatred for all other forms of life and prefer to live a solitary existence. They will usually make a lair in a dry cave, digging out a small hollow in which they sleep, lining it with fur. Shadowcrawlers are very light sleepers. A shadowcrawler will stake out a rather large territory around its lair, killing or driving off all weaker predators in the area.About once every four years, a shadowcrawler will seek a mate, its yowling mating cry echoing from the stone walls of the tunnels it prowls. After a brief affair, the shadowcrawlers return to theik respective homes.The creature's gestation period is three months, after which the female lays a large egg sac, hiding it away in a safe place. After another month of development, 2-12 shadowkittens hatch from the egg sac and scatter. Most are slain before they are able to adequately defend themselves and only 1-2 reach maturity, which occurs after a year of growth.Ecology: Shadowcrawlers will attack almost any animal, though they prefer the blood of mammals. These creatures are neither stupid nor brave enough to attack other fierce predators, preferring instead to find new territory.</blockquote>

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