Cailleach 5 (15)

We Are All Mad Here

Not actually a water spirit, but one who has made her peace with the sea in an eternal bargain, Cailleach once lived on land. Now she is a recluse deep in the ocean in the realm known as the Expanse of Halirane. She appears ancient, and in fact is much older than that. She shaves her head bald, wears dozens of shell earrings in each ear, and has a glass eye that allows her to see three views of the future. As part of her bargain with the sea, she can never return to dry land again, or she will lose all of her powers forever.

Motive: To be left alone

Environment: A home hidden inside a coral reef at the bottom of the ocean. Her home is a large dead whale that the sea magically preserves as part of their bargain. (Ocean)

Health: 30

Damage: 6 points

Movement: Short; very long when shapeshifted

Modifications: Seeing through deceptions and lies as level 6, healing as level 8

Combat: Cailleach has many abilities at her disposal, some of which come from the sea and others that come from her own magic. They include the following:

• Healing Pot: If she has the proper ingredients and takes a day to do so, Cailleach can brew a healing salve in her special pot. Depending on what she adds to the mixture, this salve can do one of three things: restore 10 Might points, move someone up one step on the damage track, or remove a curse (up to level 6).
• Reptilian Form: Cailleach takes the form of a reptile of any size. While in this form, she has +3 Armor and does 6 points of damage with her bite, claw, or tail lash. In addition, she regains 3 points of health per round.
• Restore to Life: Putting her wizened pointer finger into someone's mouth can bring them back to life, but only if they've been dead for less than a day and only if she holds her finger there for exactly as long as they've been dead. After that, her finger falls off. It takes three days for her to regrow a new one.
• See the Future: Cailleach can use her glass eye to scry the future of an individual. She does so by first removing the eye, and then having the person hold it in their mouth until she asks for it back (sometimes this is for just a second, and sometimes it's for hours--it's hard to know if the variable length of time is part of the ritual or just her dark sense of humor). She typically sees three possible futures, and all of them have an equal chance of coming to pass.
• Wanton Destruction: As part of her agreement with the sea, Cailleach was given the power to control small parts of it at a time. She can create a whirlpool that catches up all creatures and objects within short range of its center and inflicts 5 points of ambient damage (ignores Armor).

Interactions: Cailleach is a recluse and introvert whose deepest longing is to be left alone to increase her knowledge of magic. She also likes puzzles and games, and out of everything on land, she misses birds most of all (for interacting with, not eating). Those who bring her any of those items are likely to draw Cailleach out of her shell and have a positive interaction.

Uses: Cailleach can be a beneficial ally, particularly as a healer. She might also be convinced to help fight against an encroaching danger, especially if it's threatening her solitude and privacy.

Loot: She typically carries a number of sea cyphers, and her home is filled with books, scrolls, and journals of all sorts.

GM Intrusion: The sea offers additional assistance to Cailleach's spells, increasing her damage or movement.