[Index]
Numenera Destiny
The color of the summer sky, a choanid is the size of a large hill, and sometimes they're mistaken for one—or for the sky itself, when viewed from a very long distance or farther. But closer up, the outlines resolve to reveal a gargantuan lounging creature at least 30 feet (9 m) in length, though some are larger. Their yawning mouths are like caves, their dome-sized eyes shine with malevolence, and a toxic stink from their skin burns the eyes and flesh of all who get close.
Looks do not deceive. A choanid is always secreting toxin into the air internally and from its skin. Its touch is death, but so, eventually, is its mere presence.
Every so often a choanid emits a vast noise, perhaps as a call to others of its kind, which sounds like thunder from a distance.
A choanid can be treated as a rank 4 rampaging beast.
Motive: Hungers for flesh
Environment: Usually in highlands or plains
Health: 30
Damage Inflicted: Major wound (8 points)
Armor: 3
Movement: Short; long when leaping
Modifications: Speed defense as level 5 due to size
Combat: A choanid can batter all foes within immediate range. The creature can make this attack as part of the same action it uses to leap into a group of foes.
The creature also constantly secretes toxin.
Proximity Toxin: Creatures who spend more than one round within immediate range of the choanid take 5 points of Speed damage (ignores Armor) each round they fail to withstand the level 5 poison. If they take three damage from this toxin for three rounds, they are blinded until they can make a recovery roll. The choanid can also spit a gob of this toxin at any creature it can see within long range.
Spiritual Toxin: Biological creatures who spend more than a day or two within a mile (1.5 km) of the creature—or within 10 miles (16 km) if downwind—are subject to losing motivation for taking any and all actions from the level 4 psychic influence. Affected creatures pause and become unmoving or perhaps slowly sink to the ground. A creature can attempt to escape this torpid state, but only once every hour or so. Creatures that fail to escape the effect eventually starve and die.
Interaction: Choanids are predators. They're clever, but not intelligent.
Use: A settlement begins to sicken and feel a strange spiritual malaise whenever the wind is out of the west. The town leader suspects demons.
Loot: A choanid leaves behind the belongings of those it has poisoned and consumed, which sometimes includes entire communities.
GM Intrusion: The character affected by the toxin also begins to hallucinate for several minutes.