Breiryn

Picture a huge spider cut down to four legs, each ending in a black cloven hoof. The breiryn (BREE-rin) has a wrinkled, apelike face that ends in a pig's snout flanked by two long tusks curving downward. Its torso is about as wide as it is tall and is plated with rough shards of hide resembling broken glass, while its legs and long whip of a tail are glossy and smooth. Reports describe it as dark gray, and it reeks of musk.

Darkness is its element. At night its senses are magnified, letting it hear a human heartbeat 50 feet away. Daylight cripples it: its sight shrinks to 30 feet, it goes nearly deaf, it deals only half its usual damage, and its magic resistance stops working. It therefore avoids daytime fighting at all costs, but after dark it readily joins any fight where a wizard is in danger.

It rears on its hind legs, braced on its tail, and kicks with its forehooves. The kicks themselves are light; the harm comes from a strange venom the hooves secrete, against which protections from poison are useless. Every fourth round it can spit an acidic web 15 feet square that wraps one Large, two Medium, or three Small creatures, dealing 1d4 damage for three rounds before it dissolves. A trapped victim escapes by rolling higher than half his Strength score on 1d20. Edged weapons cannot hurt its glassy hide, but blunt weapons of +1 or better do full damage. It can also cast airy water once a day as a 7th-level wizard and turn invisible twice a day, as the spell.

The breiryn is one of the magical beasts that bond with wizards, and it partners only with mages, usually ones below 8th level, since it finds more powerful wizards stuffy. While the bond lasts, its companion can breathe water and see 90 feet as if with infravision. The creature speaks most human tongues and can converse with freshwater fish. Legends say little else, though they place it near a river in the hot southern lands.

It will eat almost any plant or animal matter, but its favorite treats are said to be potions, other consumable magic items, and candles.