The Strange Bestiary
"These magic-eaters—oh, that's what I calls 'em, magic-eaters—they're no good. Nasty critters with claws and teeth like you'd expect, but they go after the more, well, you knowÉ the more sorcerous types, if you get my meaning. Mostly, though, they'll steal your enchanted sword right from its scabbard or lift a, whatchacall, cypher right outta your pocket. Maker-damned thieves is what I call 'em. They eat leaves and bark and whatnot, but they got some kinda thirst for magic that I can't quite explain. More like an addiction than a hunger. It ain't right. As bad as the chronics with their dream smoke in Shalmarn, I say. Worse, maybe."
Callum is both singular and plural.
Motive: Seek magic
Environment (Ardeyn | Magic): A hunting pack of four to eight in any forested area
Health: 9
Damage Inflicted: Minor wound (3 points)
Movement: Short; long if brachiating
Modifications: Climbs as level 7; jumps as level 6; perception as level 5.
Combat: Callum usually attack in packs, ambushing from tree branches high above their prey. If attacking a character to obtain a magic item, one or more callum attack the victim with claws while another attempts to steal the item. To resist this theft, the character must succeed on a Speed defense roll. The difficulty of the roll is increased by one step if the character is attacked by another callum, or by two steps if he is attacked by two or more callum. They will not hesitate to kill to get an item. Once they have what they seek, they flee as quickly as possible.
Characters with innate magic abilities—sorcerers, golems, sinfire channelers, and so on—are subject to callum attacks, for the callum want heir blood or flesh. However, this means that a single damaging wound against such a victim is enough to sate the creature. A callum with a sorcerer's blood on its claw will scurry away as happy as can be.
Callum can sense magic—as if they are smelling it—from up to a mile away. Once they sense it, they are driven to obtain it. Despite what rumors suggest, they do not drain the magic or consume it. They just possess it. Callum cannot identify or use magic items, nor can they distinguish between magic and other similar sources of power from outside Ardeyn, like cyphers from the Strange.
Interaction: Callum are not aggressive unless dealing with someone who has a magic item or who threatens the magic items they have. If there is no magic involved, they are docile herbivores very likely to hide in high branches. They have cunning animal intelligence.
Use: Callum are an interesting threat because unless a character has inherent magic, they want only her cyphers or artifacts, not her flesh.
Loot: A group of callum has 1d6 cyphers and (very occasionally) a single artifact hidden on their bodies or in their nest. They will all die defending these prizes.
GM Intrusion: With one action, the callum grabs a magic object from the character and scrambles up and out of reach (but not out of sight).