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The Twisted Wood |
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Film of Night
Since he couldn't be everywhere at once, and his hollow dogs proved to be
too fragile to take on more powerful intruders, Szorlog wanted watchful
creatures that would be up to the task of destroying determined intruders. Once
all his trees come of age and can defend themselves, he will have no need for
watchers. Until then, chief among his silent sentinels are films of night.
A film of night is darkness given life. It is not a shadow creature, but
darkness manifest, similar in substance to wraiths. Films of night have cleared
the forest of any living animal matter, leaving only plants, undead, and the
occasional outsider who can fend off their tendrils.
Being alive in Szorlog's forest at night is a beacon to these terrors.
Without adequate defense against their predations, those in the wood find that
films of night keep coming until they destroy trespassers in the wood. Magical
light sometimes seems to be an adequate defense. But just barely.
During the day, these oozes retreat to the thick canopy and the most
isolated parts of the wood where light barely penetrates. Traveling in the wood
is safer during the day, except for these concentrated areas, where it is
possibly more dangerous to go during the day than at night.
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Film of Night This creature is a field of pure darkness given awareness and hunger. It
waits in lightless places to feed off the energy of nonplant living
creatures. Films of night appear only at night. During the day, they hide in the
comforting darkness of underground. When they emerge, they float as a group
in a circle at the periphery of each other's sensory range. When prey enters
one ooze's range, that film of night moves toward it. The absence of a film
of night alerts the others to move toward its last location. Films of night are amorphous and can change their shape at will, but they
usually travel in roughly cube-shaped blocks 10 feet on a side. Unlike most
oozes, films of night travel in pairs, and sometimes in larger groups. Combat: Films of night employ no strategy. They simply float down from the trees
toward any potential food and attempt to destroy it. Blindsight (Ex): A film of night is blind, but its entire body is a
primitive sensory organ that can ascertain prey by scent and vibration within
60 feet. Ability Drain (Su): A film of night's incorporeal touch attack
drains 1d6 points of Constitution and 1d6 points of Dexterity from its
target. Dark Camouflage (Ex): Because of a film of night's unique body
type, it has full concealment in darkness. Any illumination reduces the
concealment to three-quarters. Incorporeal Subtype: A film of night can be harmed only by other
incorporeal creatures, +1 or better magic weapons, spells, spell-like
abilities, or supernatural abilities. It is immune to all nonmagical attack
forms and has a 50% chance to ignore any damage from a corporeal source
(except for force effects, such as magic missiles, and attacks made with
ghost touch weapons). A film of night can pass through solid objects (but not
force effects) at will, and its attacks ignore natural armor, armor, and
shields (though deflection bonuses and force effects work normally). A film
of night always moves silently (cannot be heard with Listen checks unless
desired). Light Weakness (Su): Magical light sources deal 1d6 points of
damage per 10 feet of illumination to a film of night. Ooze Traits: A film of night is immune to poison, sleep,
paralysis, stunning, polymorphing, and mind-influencing effects. It is not
subject to critical hits or flanking. |
Huge
Ooze (Incorporeal)