Con-tinh were a race of lesser spirits greatly feared in Kara-Tur,[3] who were formed when a young woman died early in life.[2]
Description[]
Con-tinh were beautiful humanoid women who wore elegant silk robes,[3] the clothing of princesses.[2] They had long, luxurious hair and gorgeous eyes.[3] 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.[3][2]
Abilities[]
The laugh of a con-tinh could drive a listener to madness.[2] Any creature within 20 feet (6.1 meters) of the con-tinh risked suffering insanity.[3]
Once a night,[3] a con-tinh had the ability to possess the body of a nearby humanoid.[3][2] The con-tinh would take total control over the actions of the victim, and when released from the possession, the humanoid had no recollection of what had transpired. The con-tinh retained all her spell-casting abilities during the possession.[3] The possession was only in effect within 100 feet (30 meters) from her tree.[3][2]
It was not possible for a con-tinh to pass through jade or crystal, nor could it pick up items made from these materials.[2]
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.[3]
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.[3]
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.[3]
Ecology[]
Con-tinh were often created as a result of an adulterous love affair ending in a maiden's murder.[2]
Like many Kara-Turan spirits,[3] the life-force of a con-tinh was connected to a specific tree.[3][2] She carried the fruit of this tree with her,[2] in a basket.[2] If the fruit was touched by anyone other than the con-tinh, the fruit withered away.[3] A con-tinh was unable to venture farther than 100 feet (30 meters) from her tree.[3][2] 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.[3] If the con-tinh's tree was destroyed in any way, she was also instantly destroyed.[2]
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.[3]
The hills near Gensuyama, a volcano in Kozakura, were home to a number of con-tinh.[4]
Notable Con-Tinh[]
- Scream, Hate, and Spite: The three evil daughters of Tsien Chiang of I'Cath and unique forms of con-tinh created after she trapped their spirits in corrupted sacred bells, to which they were tied, rather than trees.[5]
Appendix[]
See Also[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Skip Williams, Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook (July 2003). Monster Manual v.3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 116–118. ISBN 0-7869-2893-X.
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 James Wyatt (October 2001). Oriental Adventures (3rd edition). (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 165–166. ISBN 0-7869-2015-7.
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 3.16 3.17 3.18 3.19 3.20 3.21 3.22 3.23 Rick Swan (July 1990). Monstrous Compendium Kara-Tur Appendix. (TSR, Inc.), p. 12. ISBN 0-88038-851-X.
- ↑ Mike Pondsmith, Jay Batista, Rick Swan, John Nephew, Deborah Christian (1988). Kara-Tur: The Eastern Realms (Volume II). (TSR, Inc), p. 140. ISBN 0-88038-608-8.
- ↑ Colin McComb, Scott Bennie (April 1992). Islands of Terror. Edited by Anne Gray McCready. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 33, 34. ISBN 1-56076-349-3.