Nguema

Nguema
No. Enc.: 1
Alignment: Neutral (Evil)
Movement: 90' (120')
Armor Class: 6
Hit Dice: 3+
Attacks: 1
Damage: 1d6
Save: F1/MU3
Morale: 12

Special: Every 3 points of damage inflicted by a Nguema also inflicts a cumulative -1 penalty to Morale Checks. Those individuals (such as retainers) who fail their Morale Check (even if it isn't made until after the adventure is completed), must Save or transfer their loyalty to the Nguema, whom they will now consider accepting as their employer and benefactor. Since the Nguema tend to pay very well, this will often result in a serious bout of labor relations turmoil, defection, desertion and outright abandonment. More than one would-be conquistador or plunderer has instead hired-on with the Nguema to serve them as mercenaries...

Slave-Master: ESP, Cause/Remove Fear (on touch), Cure Disease (once/day), advances as fighter 2 levels below current HD, has effective Charisma of 16-18 in regards to Retainers and Retainer Morale.

Spell-Slug: ESP, Cause/Remove Fear (on touch), Cure Disease (once/day), advances as magic-user of level equal to HD, has effective Charisma of 13-18  in regards to Retainers and Retainer Morale.

Tthe Nguema originate within the reeking depths of the jungles and mangrove swamps along the southern coastline of Ambrool, one of the Western-most isles within the Archipelago of Scattered Jewels. Blind, emotionless beings, these invertebrate tyrants slither about guided by incredibly developed senses of hearing and touch.

Smooth and glistening with a thin layer of greasy slime, the Nguema deftly and quickly slip through tight spots and constricted spaces with the greatest of ease. When constructing their own redoubts or refuges, the Nguema make full use of this capability in order to make their innermost sanctums incredibly treacherous and difficult to navigate for any invaders.

Nguema slime hardens into a variety of consistencies and textures based upon the direct manipulation of this substance by the Nguema secreting it. One of the most common things Nguema do with their slime is to form pseudo-pearls that retain some slight healing properties, which they use as currency and trade tokens. The inner-most sections of a Nguema lair are lined with several overlapping varieties of pearl-like material. Certain individuals have been known to dabble at sculpting their slime into elegant pseudo-pearl armor, weapons or works of art that they then used to pay their followers or to trade with foreign merchants.

Nguema breath through their skin, much like frogs, and are able to acquire breathable oxygen when submerged within brackish water or while immersed within river mud equally well. They cannot be drowned, but they can suffocate and both salt and gas-based attacks tend to do double damage to Nguema.

Nguema Fighter/Slave-Masters use ESP to direct their servants, slaves and hirelings to fight on their behalf. Nguema spell-casters reserve their own spells, preferring to only accept the service or servitude of other spell-casters. Neither of the two main Nguema castes use tools or weapons personally, as a matter of principle. This prohibition apparently does not include the swallowing or embedding of enchanted gems or pearls that the Nguema can then use much as other species use magical rings or amulets.

Introduction | Map | Index | Player's Guide