Tigbanua buso

Tigbanua buso were a race of vicious and ghoulish creatures native to Kara-Tur. They were the most common type of buso, the only known type being the victims of their infection, the tagamaling buso.

Description
Standing tall and emaciated, tigbanuas had long and flexible necks, large bony feet, and gnarled hands with sharp claws. They had depressed noses, their mouths were filled with sharp teeth, and their hair was curly. Their skin was pale and had the texture of leather. The most distinguishing feature of a tigbanua was its large eye in the center of its head; it could be red or yellow. Tigbanuas were generally covered in dirt, filthy, or grime.

Combat
With no clever tactics, tigbanuas simply came out under cover of night, targeting lone humanoids like vulnerable villagers and travelers. Using their sharp claws and fangs, they attacked with great ferocity whenever they got the chance.

Abilities
Any creature within 10 feet (3 meters) of a tigbanua felt great fear, enough to paralyze them with terror if they couldn't resist, while it was in this range. This lasted from three to eight minutes, and could be undone with remove paralysis, provided the tigbanua hadn't already killed and eaten the victim by then.

Tigbanuas transmitted a terrible disease via their claws, and any humanoid struck by them who was infected and did not seek healing became a tagamaling buso, a lesser form of the tigbanua buso.

Some tigbanuas could twist or bend their necks so they could look directly behind themselves.

Behavior
Having only animal intelligence but a chaotic and evil nature, they lived in small packs and made no long-term lairs. Instead, they wandered from place to place in the hunt for prey, usually coming close to cemeteries or in rocky mountains and desolate forests. They took no treasure or trophies of the dead.

Ecology
Despite resembling ghouls in form and habit, tigbanua buso were not undead. They were carnivorous, and their diet consisted of the flesh of any animal or humanoid. Meat from corpses found in graves was considered a prized delicacy among tigbanuas.

History
Although the origin of the tigbanua buso was unknown, rumors in Kara-Tur held that they were once an advanced and peaceful race who dwelt in the southern mountainous region of Shou Lung. They were even friendly to and aided humans, yet at some point they changed into deadly monsters who preyed on humans instead. Afterward, the tigbanuas dispersed across Kara-Tur.

Lands
Tigbanua buso were found across Kara-Tur, typically in the temperate, tropical, and subtropical wildernesses.

Notable Tigbanua Buso

 * Getsu was an unusually intelligent tigbanua buso in Nakamaru around 1357 DR.

Background
Tigbanua are borrowed from Philippine mythology, where they are a race of dark spirits with one eye.

Appearances

 * Adventures:
 * Blood of the Yakuza
 * Dungeon #8: "The Flowers of Flame"
 * Dungeon #17: "The Waiting Room of Yen-Wang-Yeh"
 * Mad Monkey vs the Dragon Claw
 * Night of the Seven Swords
 * Ninja Wars
 * Ronin Challenge
 * Test of the Samurai
 * Card Games
 * AD&D Trading Cards