(TFT) The Scadadenndeng

[Rick Smith <rsmith@lightspeed.ca>]

	The Scadadenndeng
	A TFT monster
	(C) 2004 By Richard W. Smith


	The Scadadenndeng are a race of shapeshifting shadows. They are not
undead but are an evil race and those that can often become undead to
extend their lives. There was a related race called the Denndeng which
lacked the shapshifting property but the Denndeng have been hunted
almost to extinction.


ST 4   greater than average for its current form.
DX 14  or the average DX for its form, whichever is lower.
IQ 5   to 9
MA equal to that of its current form.

Very limited form of regeneration when in shadows. 1 pt / 10 min.

Damage: Normal for that of its current form.
Armor:  Normal for that of its current form.

In deep shadow it can gain a blur which makes it -4 DX.  This
costs it 1 fST per 3 turns.

	A Scadadenndeng is a being of no great intelligence, it hunts
at night and can change shape to a wolf, a wolverine, walrus, warthog,
wallaby, women or a warrior. (Or other things who's names do not begin
with a 'w', tho for some reason they seem to prefer beings whose names
begin with that sound.)

	The majority of Scadadenndeng are have IQ's of 5 to 6 and can
be affected by Control Animal spell.  However some grow old and canny
and become immune to that spell (tho Control Person will affect them).
When they reach 7 IQ, they may take human form.  When they reach IQ 7
they can start learning talents and languages, tho most never bother.

	They are hunters which kill their prey and drink a little 
blood, but they do not feast on flesh.  They can go for very long
times with out feeding.  They are beings of shadow, in bright light
or total darkness their MA is halved and they are at -3 DX.  They 
delight in torturing their victims, perhaps they feed on the fear
and despair of those in their power.


	Occasionally a great Scadadenndeng gains a Bard like talent.
Whether it uses wolf song, epic poems, a woman's lullaby or a walrus
bellow, such a being will attract a pack of lesser Scadadenndeng 
which will serve it.

	It can turn into an average member of the species.  It will
look average, or generic in all ways.  A human will look so average
that it may invite comment.  

	If a Scadadenndeng touches the head of a being, it can turn
into an exact copy of that being and will know the surface thoughts
& common knowledge of that being.  However, it will not know talents,
spells or things that take a great deal of effort to learn.  (This
includes literacy.)  In addition it will will not know any secrets
that its victim knows.  It WILL know any languages that person 
learned as a child.  It may ask questions of its victim & regardless
of how the victim answers it will know the truth.  However it won't
ask more than 3 questions per night (and can not ask questions in
the day time).  Occasionally they will keep a victim alive so as to
be able to learn more from that person.

	Changing shape requires one minute.  For 2 turns its shape
'softens'.  It will continue to be what ever it used to be but the
edges will be come blurry and shadowy.  Then it will suddenly start
changing its form / size / shape.  For two turns it is helpless as
it changes and can take no actions other than changing.  Thereafter
it has an approximate form of what ever it is becoming, but is 
obviously a poor copy.  (It looks misshapen and ill proportioned &
the skin or fur looks mono-colored and not quite real.) 

	However from this time until it finishes changing it has
the attributes and skills of its new form.  It will take the 
remaining 8 turns to finish 'polishing' its new form.  At the end 
of that time it is indistinguishable from others of its kind.

	
	The plots of Scadadenndeng are usually pretty simple.  One
will bring down a wood cutter, and copy him.  After killing him &
feeding, it will return to the wood cutter's home in hopes of 
murdering the man's wife and children.  

	However, occasionally a smarter one will learn to use its
powers for more sophisticated plots.   

	If a Scadadenndeng manages to get a wish, it will improve
its IQ.  Once its IQ is over 9, it can improve its IQ normally with
experience.


	Scadadenndeng have a number of weaknesses.  They are 
incapable of crossing under a ladder leaning against a building or
wall.  If forced to do so, they shift to their natural form, a
Grendal like monster (use the stats of a large troll). And lose
their shapeshifting ability.  They are now merely Denndeng.

	They flee funeral parties.  If for some reason they mingle
with such a party they will follow it to the grave.  When the first
shovelful of dirt is thrown into the grave they will be drawn into
the grave and revert to their normal form.  Any shovelful of 
grave dirt will do 2d+3 damage to them.  A handful of grave dirt
will do 1d+1.  They do not long last such treatment.

	If one takes human form and tries to blend in for any 
length of time with humans, they can not help expressing a snarky
(sarcastic / nasty) sense of humor.  If they are low IQ this may
be expressed as practical jokes.  Higher IQ Scadadenndeng will
use cutting remarks.  


	In combat they prefer hit and run tactics.  They regenerate
one point per 10 minutes so they can rush in, hurt a member of a 
party and escape to repeat this attack a couple hours later.  This
regeneration ability only works in deep shadow.

	If a Scadadenndeng is dying and is in deep shadow it can
turn insubstantial to escape.  On the first turn people are at 
normal DX to hit it and it takes  full damage but it starts to 
looks shadowy and vague.  On the second turn it is -3 DX to hit &
any damage it takes is reduced by 1/3.  On the third turn it is 
-6 DX to hit and any damage it takes is reduced by 2/3.  On the
fourth turns it fades to invisibility and is gone.

	A Scadadenndeng that flees this way is lost in a shadow 
world.  It can not return to our world for many long years (a GM
could roll 4d-2 years for an approximate idea of how long it
would be gone).  If intelligent it will hate those who drove it
away from this world (the richest of hunting grounds).

	Rick
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