Con-tinh

Con-tinh were a race of lesser spirits greatly feared in Kara-Tur, who were formed when a young woman died early in life.

Description
Con-tinh were beautiful humanoid women who wore elegant silk robes, the clothing of princesses. 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.

Abilities
The laugh of a con-tinh could drive a hearer to madness. Any creature within 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 victim, and when released of the possession, the humanoid had no recollection of what had transpired. The con-tinh retained all her spell-casting abilities during the possession. The possession was only in effect within from her tree.

It was not possible for a con-tinh to pass through jade or crystal, nor could it pick items made from these materials up.

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 her evil laugh, up to three times a night. 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
Con-tinh were often created as a result of an adulterous love affair ending in a maiden's murder.

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, in a basket. 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 from her tree. Con-tinh were active during the night, spending their day in the branches of their trees. The con-tinh buried her treasure in a hole near her tree. If the con-tinh's tree was destroyed in any way, she was also instantly destroyed.

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.