[Index]
Numenera Destiny
Most victims don't see conundarys until they've become entangled in the mazelike traps these semi-translucent creatures can spin out of psychic influence and force, trapping prey in evermore bewildering spirals from which many never escape. When viewed clearly, a conundary is an elongated, many-limbed, translucent entity over 20 feet (6 m) high whose limbs sometimes serve as the framework for the walls and paths that the conundary spins. Only the eyes—two points of electric brilliance—betray a hungry conundary's presence.
Motive: Hungers for flesh, yearns to build
Environment: Anywhere structures are being built
Health: 24
Damage Inflicted: Minor wound (2 points)
Movement: Short; immediate when seeping through solid objects of its level or lower
Modifications: Stealth tasks as level 6
Combat: A conundary can erect a level 5 maze framework made of invisible planes of force with just a few rounds of effort. It must have an area a short distance across to work with, which could be in a clearing, between the boles of trees in a forest, in a cavern, or even up in the branches of a large tree. Once prepared, it seeks to lure a lone victim or two (never more) to that location by creating noises, strange flares of light, and alluring psychic whispers.
A target is lured into the invisible entrance if it fails an Intellect defense task to notice the psychic impulse. Once caught in the maze, the target can attempt to find a way out; however, each time they fail in that task, they suffer 2 points of Intellect damage (ignores Armor) as the conundary feeds. Doing nothing slows the process, but still siphons 2 points of Intellect damage per minute.
Those not caught in the creature's maze can attempt to break past it to find the conundary, which looms over the maze like a massive spider on its web.
Interaction: These creatures interact telepathically. They are drawn to acts of construction, so much so that a deal might be negotiated telepathically, if a conundary is offered a chance to aid in the endeavor. However, at some point it will demand to be fed as payment.
Use: Some unknown effect seems to be aiding the PCs' effort at crafting a structure.
Loot: A conundary usually keeps a cache of 1d6 cyphers.
Conundarys sometimes inexplicably aid ongoing construction projects, especially if installations or other numenera structures are being built. A conundary's presence eases the assessed difficulty of the crafting task by one step. However, workers sometimes go missing, presumably serving as the helpful conundary's meals.
GM Intrusion: The character's attempt to smash through the maze wall succeeds, but as the character tries to wiggle through, the opening contracts, inflicts a moderate wound (5 points), and holds the character in place until they can escape.