Ki-rin

Ki-rin

Species	beast
No. Appearing	1
Behaviour	solitary
Range	alpine (high), woodland
Size	8 ft. at the shoulder
Weight	4,100 lbs.
Intelligence	19
Armour Class	-5
Hit Dice	12
Action Points	6
Max. Stride	{{{stride}}}
THAC0	14
Hp/Die	d6+d8
Attack Forms	4: two hooves; two horns
Damage	hoof (3–12); horn (3-30)
Special Attacks	call lightning, control weather, create food & water, flight, gaseous form, minor creation, +3 with horns, magic resistance, phantasmal feature, wind walk

Ki-rin are extraordinarily powerful hooved beasts that inhabit the dense forests between India and China, particularly in the lush valleys of the Himalayas and Hindu Kush ranges. The unexpected appearance of a ki-rin in front of a multitude of onlookers is thought to signify or forewarn a great moment, either good or bad, such as the arrival or departure of a wise or illustrious leader.

These colossal beings are celebrated deeply by Confucianists, Taoists and Buddhists as symbols of virtue and serenity, representing the harmony of nature and the spiritual realm.

They tower amid the trees, being a remarkable 12 feet tall at the center of their back, with their majestic heads reaching an astounding 18 feet. Adorned with a luscious mane, formidable stone-like antlers, tessellated fur enveloping their upper body, and scales adorning their legs and mid-tail, the last of which culminates in a voluminous tuft of soft fur; tufts of wisphy hair graces their upper body.

The ki-rin's eyes shimmer with an extraordinarily penetrating gaze, revealing the creature's magical essence; some accounts have described parts of the creature being adorned with precious jewels. The beast's resonant voice rumbles like the gentle roar of an ocean.

Behaviour

These gentle giants are herbivores, abstaining from consuming meat; they exhibit exceptional tenderness, particularly towards children. While they can be formidable when provoked, ki-rin harbor malevolence only for the wicked, especially when scholars or bards are threatened. In the presence of great art, ki-rin can be profoundly moved. They prefer moral retribution over causing harm, aiming to confine rather than kill.

Reluctant to harm even the most fragile of creatures, they often employ their magic to hover an inch above the ground, preventing them from crushing insects or grass. Ki-rin are revered as symbols of fortune, auspicious signs, guardianship, prosperity, and longevity often associated with the arrival of a newborn into a family.

Boons

Numerous individuals actively seek out the ki-rin in pursuit of assistance or a favor, typically desiring a magical artifact. However, the creature rarely deigns to manifest itself for such self-centered supplicants. When the cause is undeniably noble and holds the promise of enhancing the well-being of hundreds or even thousands, the ki-rin may, on occasion, grant an audience to those who have embarked on arduous journeys and endured hardships to present their case.

With only a mere dozen of these majestic beings in existence, gaining access to them is a formidable challenge. Should they be persuaded, they might bestow a powerful item or, in dire circumstances where the adversary's might is overwhelming, personally intervene, recognizing that the questing party is ill-equipped to prevail without aid. They consistently advocate for restraint and the pursuit of justice, yet they do not impose these principles. The creature understands the profound emotional response that humanoid beings experience when confronted by malevolence, acknowledging that, for many, exercising restraint may prove to be an insurmountable task.

Advantages

Kirin possess a number of innate abilities that they can employ effortlessly, each requiring no more than 1 action point (AP) to activate, and they can use these abilities as frequently as they desire. However, they can only employ one such ability per round, so they are judicious in selecting the most advantageous choice.

Magic. This includes a range of effects resembling various spells, as though woven by a 12th level spellcaster. These effects include call lightning, create food & water, phantasmal feature and wind walk.

Control the weather. This can be counted in the list above, understanding that the ki-rin primarily uses the spell to creature the necessary clouds in order to cast lighting bolt.

Minor creation. When parleying, it will offer to create food for its guests, which appear in a variety of bowls and tureens set upon a table with chairs. The ki-rin is able to create various household objects for the comfort of its guests, but disdains to make shelters as well. These objects are permanent and won't dematerialize. In addition, the ki-rin is able to create any sort of magic item it wishes, though it will only do this under special circumstances, and will never create an item that might cause a creature to become preoccupied with the power offered.

Flight. These beings may take flight, though they possess no wings, being able to turn in the air and hover in place. They prefer to do so when gaining height in order avoid attacks with missile weapons or spells.

Gaseous form. Should other strategies to avoid combat fail, the ki-rin is likely to assume this form prior to an attempt to parley with an enemy. When in this form, the ki-rin can pass through small openings and cracks, making it difficult to contain or trap.

Horns. When attacking with it's horns, the ki-rin receives a +3 bonus to hit. However, the creature often suspends using it's horns in combat unless dealing with a considerable malevolence or should it be seriously threatened.

Magic resistance. A ki-rin's magic resistance is 90%. This means that it's immune to any spell cast by a character of less than 10th level.

See also,
Beast
Bestiary
Dispel Malevolence (spell)