The Strange Bestiary
A gnock is a possessing spirit. It prefers people but must often make do with valuable objects. The gnock leaves an impression on any object it inhabits. A suggestion of a face might appear in the blade of a sword, a reaching claw might appear on a shield or breastplate, or a ghostly mist could swirl inside a crystal ball. This hints at the danger the possessing spirit poses to anyone who comes into contact with the object; the gnock wants nothing more than to slip free from the item into the fresh meat of a creature it can control.
Malevolent spirits formed of demons and the dreams of Lotan the Sinner, gnocks look like wisps of steam, a puff of smoke and little more. When a gnock possesses a creature, the host's irises acquire a crimson corona that glows in the dark.
Motive: Corrupt a living creature by using it as a vessel
Environment (Ardeyn | Magic): Anywhere, usually inside a cypher, an artifact, or another treasure
Health: 21
Damage Inflicted: Moderate wound (4 points)
Movement: Immediate
Modifications: All tasks involving deception as level 7.
Combat: When a creature comes into physical contact with an object possessed by a gnock, the target must make an Intellect defense roll. On a failure, the gnock inflicts 4 points of Intellect damage to the target, emerges from the object in a swirling red mist, and plunges into the character's body through the eyes as an action. Once inside, the gnock controls the PC until he forces it out.
The gnock makes all decisions for the character it controls, determining how he acts, moves, speaks, and so on. The gnock suppresses its host's personality and renders him insensate for the duration. It can, however, draw upon the host's memories and experiences during this time to keep its presence a secret from others.
During the first three rounds of possession, the host can attempt to force out the gnock each round. If he fails in this initial attempt, he can thereafter make the attempt only once each hour spent under the gnock's control. To force out the gnock, the host makes an Intellect-based roll. On a success, the gnock streams out as red mist from the host's eyes, moves immediately toward the nearest cypher or artifact, and disappears inside it. On a failure, the gnock maintains control and inflicts 4 points of Intellect damage to the host.
A gnock might leave its host willingly to enter a different character that it believes will be more suitable. The gnock prefers not to make the jump in public places where others might see its misty form, so it tries to lure its prey to someplace private, offering to share a secret, an act of intimacy, or anything it believes the prey might want. One touch is all it takes for the gnock to transfer itself to the new host. A character resisting the touch can fend off the transfer with a successful Intellect defense roll.
Gnocks are immune to damage from physical sources, but they are vulnerable to magic.
Interaction: A gnock can communicate from within an object or use a host character to speak. The gnock speaks in any language it wants, but it cannot knowingly speak the truth. Knowing this, gnocks may stay silent when asked a question for which the answer would be an obvious lie, or frame their answer so that it is only partly true.
Use: A gnock possessing an NPC sees a character as a more suitable host. The gnock does everything it can to inveigle the PC and get him alone so it can make the transfer.
Loot: The artifact, cypher, or other treasure inhabited by a gnock is up for grabs when the spirit vacates it.
GM Intrusion: After the character forces a gnock out of his body and into a physical object, he is attacked by a demon of Lotan—an ally of the gnock.