The Strange Bestiary
Winding its way through the air in the strange recursion of Crow Hollow, a sinistyr is a rare beast that gains its sustenance from deception and trickery. Invisible whenever it wishes to be, it flitters on silent wings amid the Glittering Market and observes. Using subtle mental powers, it tries to influence merchants, customers, and anyone else in the market to lie, cheat, or steal. A sinistyr literally draws energy from acts of deception on the part of others.
What's more, it uses its powers to make others better at guile, deception, and stealth. The creature needs successful deception and stealth to feast upon, and of course successful guile leads to still more guile.
Although it might seem like a thief would find a sinistyr a boon companion, the truth is that even someone who makes a living from stealth and deception needs to be in control of when she chooses to lie and sinistyr takes away that option, which almost always ends up biting the thief in the end.
Motive: Feed on deception
Environment (Crow Hollow | Magic): Anywhere
Health: 15
Damage Inflicted: Moderate wound (4 points)
Movement: Short (flying)
Modifications: Deception and stealth as level 6.
Combat: A sinistyr can turn invisible as an action as often as it likes, for as long as it likes, but it becomes visible if it makes an attack (or takes a similar action) or is struck by an attack. It can also influence the minds of those within immediate distance, but only in a very specific way: it can make a living, intelligent creature attempt to lie, steal, or otherwise use stealth or falsehood to get what it wants. For example, as a person strolls through the market and comes upon something of interest, a nearby invisible sinistyr might make her attempt to steal it rather than buy it. At the same time, it might influence a merchant selling items to lie about the value of his wares or subtly switch a worthless item for one of value after a deal is done.
When a sinistyr wishes it, the difficulty of all tasks involving deception, stealth, or trickery for creatures within immediate range is reduced by one step.
If a sinistyr must fight, it gives a vicious bite, but for the most part it attempts to lie and trick its way out of a dangerous situation, or simply flee.
Interaction: A sinistyr cannot be trusted. It never keeps a bargain or a deal.
Use: Not surprisingly, sinistyrs are considered major nuisances in the Glittering Market, and the Beak Mafia works to rid Crow Hollow of the creatures, but for all the obvious reasons, that's easier said than done. The kro would likely pay a bounty for a dead sinistyr.
GM Intrusion: The character attempts to steal something, even if it's something she could easily pay for or doesn't need or want.