An Obsidian Ossifrage is an Elemental creature from the domain of Th'lloth, the Ascending Crystal Tyrant. Made of razor sharp obsidian that glows with an inner heat, the obsidian ossifrage is native to the Molten Heath, a region close to the igneous domain of Kjolunvar, the Slave of Granite and Starmetal.
The ossifrage's body is ovoid and generally 2m along the largest axis, though larger and smaller examples are known. It stands upon two spindly legs that end in clawed toes. A long neck extends from the front of the body and ends in a beak. There does not appear to be a head. The sides of the creature are composed of a writhing mass of tentacles. At night, the body of the ossifrage glows softly with radiant heat.
The tentacles are capable of capturing a man-sized creature and holding it tight to the blisteringly hot body while the neck beak pecks mercilessly at its victim. Creatures held that are immune to natural heat will still take damage from the razor-edged scales that armor the obsidian ossifrage's body. Hard blows with blunt objects will produce great cracks in the ossifrage and they are known to run when attacked thus. Once per day, the obsidian ossifrage can vomit up a slurry that dries almost instantly, trapping its victims in immovable stone (Save vs. breath to avoid). Creatures trapped will have to be freed with tools (2d6 hrs, 1d4 hrs with metal tools).
When it has killed its prey, the ossifrage will tear at the body to expose the bones and consume them for the calcium within.
Immature ossifrage are called skeints and are sessile egg-shapes that slowly absorb the nutrients and minerals necessary to form the obsidian that makes up the adult form of the creature.
Anyone can summon an ossifrage, using the Ritual of Harmonic Obsidian, provided that they have the materials and sacrifices available. The summoner must bathe for thirty minutes in a bath consisting of Salictic salts from no fewer than twenty fromahxun, prepared in the normal manner by sammic leeching. During this time and for the remainder of a full hour, the summoner must not imbibe any liquids and must breathe shallowly, lest the summoner anger Th'lloth and be dragged down into the stony ground and left - alive - to ponder their mistake. After completing the bath, the summoner must inscribe in the dust a containing-style ward at least as powerful as the Fourty-second Seal of Argo for the containment of the ossifrage. Once the ward has been drawn, the summoner must placate the Pan-Zephyric Council with the sacrifice of no fewer than 30 burrowing creatures (it has been said that a single dwarf may be substituted for the burrowers, but the reasons for this are not known, surely redmen have more life energy and orangemen more vigor). Once the sacrifice has been made and the blood has powered the ward, the summoner must recite the Golgorgonac Chant. Then, and only then, will the ossifrage slowly climb out of the earth within the ward. The summoner must lay a single drop of blood upon the body of the ossifrage, an action that it will resist (though at no time will it attack the summoner). Once accomplished, the summoner has complete control over the ossifrage at the expense of the summoner's life force (Make a save vs. Petrification every round or lose 1hp, every 10th hp so lost is permanent). At the end of the ritual, the summoner must drink eight times his normal daily allotment of water or perish of dehydration within a few minutes. This is the only time the summoner may drink in the presence of the ossifrage. Any other time will cause the ossifrage to immediately attack the summoner and return to the Molten Heath. No summoner has ever kept an obisidan ossifrage bound for more than a week - Sarelen of Thule was the last to attempt it. The ossifrage will accomplish any command to the best of its ability.
Obsidian Ossifrage
Armour Class 2, Hit Dice 4, Hit Points 16, Move 30’ (90’), # Attacks 1 bite or 1 kick, Damage 1d6 or tentacle hold for 1d4 heat damage and automatic bite for 1d6, Morale 9 (7 vs blunt weapons); Special: hold, breath weapon, turned as earth elemental of 5HD, 2x damage from blunt weapons
The ossifrage's body is ovoid and generally 2m along the largest axis, though larger and smaller examples are known. It stands upon two spindly legs that end in clawed toes. A long neck extends from the front of the body and ends in a beak. There does not appear to be a head. The sides of the creature are composed of a writhing mass of tentacles. At night, the body of the ossifrage glows softly with radiant heat.
The tentacles are capable of capturing a man-sized creature and holding it tight to the blisteringly hot body while the neck beak pecks mercilessly at its victim. Creatures held that are immune to natural heat will still take damage from the razor-edged scales that armor the obsidian ossifrage's body. Hard blows with blunt objects will produce great cracks in the ossifrage and they are known to run when attacked thus. Once per day, the obsidian ossifrage can vomit up a slurry that dries almost instantly, trapping its victims in immovable stone (Save vs. breath to avoid). Creatures trapped will have to be freed with tools (2d6 hrs, 1d4 hrs with metal tools).
When it has killed its prey, the ossifrage will tear at the body to expose the bones and consume them for the calcium within.
Immature ossifrage are called skeints and are sessile egg-shapes that slowly absorb the nutrients and minerals necessary to form the obsidian that makes up the adult form of the creature.
Anyone can summon an ossifrage, using the Ritual of Harmonic Obsidian, provided that they have the materials and sacrifices available. The summoner must bathe for thirty minutes in a bath consisting of Salictic salts from no fewer than twenty fromahxun, prepared in the normal manner by sammic leeching. During this time and for the remainder of a full hour, the summoner must not imbibe any liquids and must breathe shallowly, lest the summoner anger Th'lloth and be dragged down into the stony ground and left - alive - to ponder their mistake. After completing the bath, the summoner must inscribe in the dust a containing-style ward at least as powerful as the Fourty-second Seal of Argo for the containment of the ossifrage. Once the ward has been drawn, the summoner must placate the Pan-Zephyric Council with the sacrifice of no fewer than 30 burrowing creatures (it has been said that a single dwarf may be substituted for the burrowers, but the reasons for this are not known, surely redmen have more life energy and orangemen more vigor). Once the sacrifice has been made and the blood has powered the ward, the summoner must recite the Golgorgonac Chant. Then, and only then, will the ossifrage slowly climb out of the earth within the ward. The summoner must lay a single drop of blood upon the body of the ossifrage, an action that it will resist (though at no time will it attack the summoner). Once accomplished, the summoner has complete control over the ossifrage at the expense of the summoner's life force (Make a save vs. Petrification every round or lose 1hp, every 10th hp so lost is permanent). At the end of the ritual, the summoner must drink eight times his normal daily allotment of water or perish of dehydration within a few minutes. This is the only time the summoner may drink in the presence of the ossifrage. Any other time will cause the ossifrage to immediately attack the summoner and return to the Molten Heath. No summoner has ever kept an obisidan ossifrage bound for more than a week - Sarelen of Thule was the last to attempt it. The ossifrage will accomplish any command to the best of its ability.
Obsidian Ossifrage
Armour Class 2, Hit Dice 4, Hit Points 16, Move 30’ (90’), # Attacks 1 bite or 1 kick, Damage 1d6 or tentacle hold for 1d4 heat damage and automatic bite for 1d6, Morale 9 (7 vs blunt weapons); Special: hold, breath weapon, turned as earth elemental of 5HD, 2x damage from blunt weapons
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