The Strange Bestiary
Ngeshtins inhabit glaciers, frozen lakes, and winter storms. Though completely physical while manifest, ngeshtins possess something of a spiritual nature, and they can appear seemingly out of nowhere when the seasons change or in the presence of something exceptionally cold.
A ngeshtin looks somewhat like a qephilim from the waist up (if a qephilim's fingers were tipped with claws of sharp ice) and like a massive snake from the waist down. Its entire body smells of pine needles and is covered in white scales, frost, and steaming cold. Quick and dexterous despite its chilled body, a ngeshtin "stands" about 9 feet (3 m) tall on its coiled tail, but one measured from head to tail tip would be much longer.
Ngeshtins have a special fondness for the fermented gifts of the vine. In some parts of Ardeyn, ngeshtins are known more as spirits of wine than of winter. The cold that ngeshtins emit doesn't adversely affect wine of any kind.
Motive: Defense
Environment (Ardeyn | Magic): Anywhere, but usually in cold areas
Health: 18
Damage Inflicted: Moderate wound (6 points)
Armor: 2
Movement: Short
Modifications: Speed defense as level 4 due to size; all tasks related to identifying and rating wines as level 8.
Combat: A ngeshtin can use its claws in melee or spend an action to first fashion a massive curved sword (a talwar) of ice, condensed from moisture in the air. Attacks with the talwar deal 2 additional points of damage (for a total of 8 points).
Once every other round, a ngeshtin can breathe a blast of cold air within short range at a group of targets in immediate range of each other. Targets who make a successful Speed defense roll still take 1 point of damage.
A ngeshtin can fashion basic objects out of ice condensed and frozen from moisture in the air. Such objects can be no larger than a human and could include a shield, a chair, a solid sculpture, and so on. The ngeshtin can also use this ability to seal an opening or bridge a gap.
A ngeshtin is vulnerable to unexpected heat. Fire damage dealt to a ngeshtin causes it to lose its next action, but only the first time during any given combat.
A ngeshtin regenerates 3 points of health per round if any part of its body is touching a large mass of ice (or is dipped in a large body of snow or ice water).
Interaction: Ngeshtins communicate telepathically with creatures they can see within 100 feet (30 m). Different ngeshtins have different goals, but most are willing to subordinate those goals in return for good wine.
Use: The PCs are asked to bring a gift of wine to a meeting with someone of importance in Ardeyn. When the characters go to procure the wine, they find that a ngeshtin has made a prior claim.
Loot: If wine is of value to the PCs, a ngeshtin usually has a couple of bottles in its hoard.
GM Intrusion: The ngeshtin breathes a blast of cold air, and instead of dealing damage, it creates a dome of translucent ice around one PC within short range. The dome has 2 points of Armor and can take 12 points of damage before shattering. Lifting the dome high enough to get out is a difficulty 3 Might-based task.