Con-tinh

Con-tinh were a race of lesser spirits greatly feared in Kara-Tur.

Description
Con-tinh were beautiful humanoid women who wore elegant silk robes. They had long, luxurious hair and gorgeous eyes. They often carried a large fan and/or a basket of fruit. Occasionally she was seen with her familiars, often cranes or light-blue doves.

Combat
The singular purpose of a con-tinh was to destroy all life. She was especially obsessed with killing members of her former race. A con-tinh attacked with an evil laugh, up to three times a night. Any creature within 20 feet (6 meters) of the con-tinh risked suffering insanity. Once a night, a con-tinh had the ability to possess the body of a nearby humanoid. The con-tinh would take total control over the actions of the humanoid, and when released of the possession, the humanoid had no recollection of what transpired. The con-tinh retained all her spell-casting abilities during the possession. The possession was only in effect within 100 feet (30.5 meters) from her tree. A con-tinh would send her familiars to scout for potential victims, who mistook the familiars as a good omen and then were lured to the con-tinh's tree.

Only strong weapons were able to harm a con-tinh. Her tree was her main weak spot: any attack, including magical attacks, on her tree would cause damage to the con-tinh. Spells such as wood rot would destroy both the tree and the con-tinh. There was still a risk in attacking a con-tinh's tree, as the humanoid who destroyed her tree had a chance of suffering an ancient curse spell.

Society
The Celestial Bureaucracy created a con-tinh from the spirit of a young woman who died as a result of a wrong-doing. For example, a woman who was murdered by a jealous spouse.

Ecology
Like many Kara-Turan spirits, the life-force of a con-tinh was connected to a specific tree. She carried the fruit of this tree with her. If the fruit was touched by anyone other than the con-tinh, the fruit withered away. A con-tinh was unable to venture farther than 100 feet (30.5 meters) from her tree. Con-tinh were active during the night, spending their day in the branches of her tree. The con-tinh buried her treasure in a hole near her tree.

Wu jen and shugenja collected the fruit from a con-tinh's tree, which was dried and ground into a dust to be used as a material component in a potion of longevity.

The hills near Gensuyama, a volcano in Kozakura, were home to a number of con-tinh.