Tonberry

There are many stories about the mysterious tonberries. Some claim that they are the souls of the betrayed, given flesh once more to seek bloody revenge on those responsible for their untimely death. Others say that they are demons, the physical manifestation of pure spite. Most scholars think that they are naturally occuring creatures that operate according to their own principles, though those principles have never been elucidated, since no tonberry has ever been successfully captured alive.

They are normally encountered in dark, isolated places, such as a deep cave, an overgrown forest or a deserted city alley. The first sign a tonberry is near is a slow shuffling sound, which gets steadily louder as it approaches you. Then you see its lantern, held always in front of it. Some say that the lanterns are lit by the souls of those they slay, but from all appearances they are simple oil lamps (where the tonberries get oil is not clear).

A tonberry's appearance belies the danger it poses. They appear like a child's drawing of a lizard--a rounded green head, two yellow spheres for eyes and a tail poking out of its ever-present brown robe. Some scholars have postulated that tonberries are in fact a rare form of ooze that has learned to wield weapons, given their peculiarly textureless skin. This is hard to investigate, since a dead tonberry's body evaporates into gas seconds after death, leaving behind only its robe. Research has been forestalled on this subject due to the discovery that anyone who kills a tonberry will be sought out by other tonberries as a target.

According to folk legends, tonberries seek out murderers and others responsible for many deaths. It is said that they are deadliest to those who have caused much death, and their ability to harm the truly innocent is extremely limited. It is worth noting that they do not seem to care what or who exactly were killed--a butcher is as likely to be targeted as a serial killer or soldier. It is not known how they sense the death on a person, but their sense for this is unerring and highly dangerous for those they target.





Tonberry Small monstrosity, lawful evil Armor Class 17 (natural armor)

17 (natural armor) Hit Points 153(18d6 + 90)

153(18d6 + 90) Speed 20ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 22 (+6) 12 (+1) 20 (+5) 8 (-1) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) Skills Survival +11, Perception +7

Survival +11, Perception +7 Condition Immunities charmed, exhausted, frightened, stunned

charmed, exhausted, frightened, stunned Senses passive Perception 17, truesight 60ft.

passive Perception 17, truesight 60ft. Languages Common

Common Challenge 12 (9157 XP) Illumination. The tonberry's lantern sheds either dim light in a 15-foot radius, or bright light in a 15-foot radius and dim light for an additional 15 feet. It can switch between the options as an action. Magic Resistance. The tonberry has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. Revenge Never Rests. While it has a creature marked with its Grudge feature, the tonberry does not need to sleep or eat. Actions Kitchen Knife. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 10 (1d6 + 6) piercing damage. Grudge. The tonberry marks a creature for death for up to 24 hours. While this effect lasts, the tonberry deals an extra 1d10 necrotic damage per hit die of the marked target when it hits it with a melee attack. The target also cannot Dash or Disengage, loses any movement speed types other than walking, and has its walking speed halved. In addition, while this effect persists the tonberry knows the location of the marked target as long as they are on the same plane as it. OPTIONAL: When cast in combat, a creature must succeed on a DC18 Wisdom save or be affected by the Grudge. Reactions Karma. When a creature the tonberry has Grudged hits it with a melee attack, the tonberry can make a Kitchen Knife attack against that creature. If this attack hits, it deals an extra 1d6 necrotic damage per hit die of the targeted creature. Grudge. When a creature hits the tonberry with a melee attack, it attempts to use its Grudge action against it.

Credit: Final Fantasy IX