Monster: Dreamthief

Dreamthief
Armour Class: 3
Hit Dice: 6+4***
Move: 120' (40')
climb 90' (30')
fly 180' (60')
Attacks: 4 claws, or 2 claws + 2 wings
Damage: 1-4/1-4/1-4/1-4 or 1-4/1-4/1-6/1-6
No. Appearing: 1
Save As: M7
Morale: 10
Treasure Type: I
Alignment: Chaotic
XP Value: 1250

The size of an elf or a slight human, a dreamthief is a golden grotesque, a gargoyle of orange-gold scales and coppery armoured hide. Barbed and horned, armed with sharp curving talons and saw-edged wings, the creature is solitary; equally at home in a dungeon or in the depths of the greatest urban sprawls. Though the dreamthief has no fear of combat and may pull some shreds of sustenance from it, it is more feared as an unseen presence that gnaws at one's sleeping mind.

When in combat, a dreamthief attacks in one of two ways; diving and raking with all four claws, inflicting 1-4 hit points of damage per successful claw attack, or landing -- or latching onto a specific victim -- which forces the dreamthief to lose its maneuverability and hindclaw attacks in favour of two claws and two wing-buffets that inflict 1-6 hit points of damage each. For every two rounds a dreamthief is engaged in combat it gains a +1 bonus to all rolls as it feeds from the emotional states of its targets.

Sleeping individuals have more to fear from the dreamthief. The gargoyle can sense sleeping creatures within 400', and will invade their dreaming minds to siphon their spirit away; if a roll against death ray is failed, the victim loses 1-4 points of Wisdom. A second failed check indicates that the dreamthief has dug a spirit-link into the victim's self, and will continue to devour 1-2 points of Wisdom every night without contest unless destroyed. Without the dreamthief's influence lost Wisdom may be regained at a rate of one point per day.

Dreamthieves are immune to non-magical weapons.