Friday, December 4, 2009

Monster: Thief-of-Hues

Thief-of-Hues
Armour Class: 6
Hit Dice: 4
Move: 120' (40')
swim 90' (30')
Attacks: 1 bite
Damage:
2-8
No. Appearing: 1-2
Save As: M4
Morale: 9
Treasure Type: Nil
Alignment: Neutral
XP Value: 100

The thief-of-hues -- also known as a nijiara or chromatic python -- is a huge serpent that most closely resembles a constrictor in shape, with scales of a dull pearly grey, milky white eyes, and virtually silent movement. A thief-of-hues may be found in virtually any environment; some believe them to be of some elemental strain, or the result of a magic-user's tampering.

In combat a thief-of-hues bites for 2-5 hit points of damage, sinking in hook-like fangs. Instead of venom it drains colour from its victim; if a save vs. poison is failed, roll on the following chart to determine the colour -- and emotion -- that is lost by the victim:

1. red -- anger
2. orange -- courage
3. yellow -- fear
4. green -- happiness
5. blue -- sadness
6. violet -- curiosity
7. indigo -- calmness
8. two colours -- roll twice more, ignoring results of 8

Lost colours may be regained by the intervention of a powerful cleric, or by consuming the ichor of a thief-of-hues -- which may not be the serpent that drained the colour from the victim.

A thief-of-hues bleeds in rivulets containing streams of colour from the entire spectrum. Its ichor is valued by alchemists and sages, even beyond its purpose in restoring lost colours.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Excellent.

Thanks again.

Adam Dickstein said...

Neat. I would be tempted to go by the Emotional Spectrum from DC Comics current 'Blackest Night' series.

Red = Anger
Orange = Greed
Yellow = Fear
Green = Willpower/Determination
Blue = Hope
Indigo = Compassion
Violet = Love

Yeah, I'm a comic book geek as well as a gaming geek. Please girls, one at a time...

taichara said...

@Zak S:

You're welcome :3


@Barking Alien:

Blackest Night isn't my cuppa (in fact, my reaction to a great deal of it is best described as RAWR HAMSTER SMASH)) -- but if it works for you, go for it ;3

BigFella said...

This one made me think of my favorite Jimi Hendrix song "Bold As Love" ineptly quoted below.

"Anger! He smiles, towering in shiny metallic purple armor.
Green jealousy envy waits behind him, her fiery green gown sneers at the grassy ground.
Blue are the life giving waters taken for granted, they quietly understand.
Once happy turquoise, now nearly opposite, ready, but wonders why the fight is on...

My red is so confident he flashes tokens of war, and ribbons of euphoria.
Orange is young and full of daring but very unsteady for the first go round.
My yellow in this case is not so mellow, in fact I'm trying to say, he's frightened like me.
That all these emotions of mine, keep holding me from giving my life, to a rainbow like you..."

But they're all bold as love.
Just ask the Axis, he knows everything.