[Index]

Oniscid 5 (15)

Numenera Destiny

Oniscids inhabit ruins that feature a plentitude of corridors and chambers that could confuse the unwary. They enhance the confusion of unwanted intruders by stealthily erasing any navigation marks the intruders might leave, by cutting guide ropes, and by altering passages with faux walls or devices, if possible. Oniscids would rather that any intruders they trap in this fashion never get free, because they would prefer knowledge of their habitation to remain secret. However, it may agree to let out invaders if they manage to find and confront the oniscid in its den.

Oniscids are as large as humans, though they are insectile. They wear trinkets and pieces of devices salvaged from the ruins where they live.

Motive: Defense and testing

Environment: Anywhere underground, usually in pairs

Health: 15

Damage Inflicted: Moderate wound (4 points)

Armor: 2

Movement: Short; short when burrowing

Modifications: Stealth and perception as level 6. Navigation tasks as level 7.

Combat: Oniscids prefer to avoid combat and instead lead their victims into dangerous locations within the ruins they inhabit through misdirection. However, they can generate subsonic sounds to confuse, control, or even harm victims. An oniscid can sense creatures through level 6 material at a distance of around 20 feet (6 m) and target creatures through the material within that range.

• Destructive Interference: One target takes 4 points of damage (ignores Armor).
• Terror: One target begins to move as quickly as they can in a random direction for one minute or until they can shrug off the effect.
• Hallucinate: One target believes there to be a wall where there is none, solid ground where there is an abyss, and so on, for about one minute or until they can shrug off the effect.

Interaction: Oniscids communicate via subsonic vibration, which isn't normally detectable by humans. However, if communication can be opened, they may negotiate.

Use: When the salvagers fail to come back to the community with the expected iotum, it's because they've become lost in the ruin thanks to the activity of a group of oniscids.

Loot: Oniscid lairs are usually littered with objects that give off heat or other energy signatures, which means several cyphers, a few artifacts, and some iotum. The decorations they wear are often comprised of the same.

GM Intrusion: The character who runs off terrified in a random direction runs into another creature lost in the ruins.