Nat

The nats are a group of lesser spirits who resemble small, squat humanoids. They have brightly colored skins - usually red, blue, or yellow. Their hair is wild and tangled, and their hands end in long, clawed fingernails. All have sharp fangs.

Nats speak the language of their own kind, as well as the languages of wu jen who are common to their area.

Combat: All nats can use following abilities at will: become invisible, levitate, ESP, comprehend languages, deflection, dream vision, possess animal, detect shapechanger, quickgrowth, passwall, and dancing blade. They are immune to poisons and diseases, and suffer half damage from electrical and fire-based attacks (no damage if the saving throw is successful).

Einsaung Nat

An einsaung is the most common form of nat. In addition the combat abilities above, it can do the following at will: become ethereal, beneficence, know history, slow poison, detect curse, protection from evil 10-foot radius, and polymorph self. Once per day, it can cure disease and divine an omen. Once per week, it can dispel evil and possess victims. The einsaung radiates an aura which acts as a bless spell on the owner and family of the house it occupies. The radius of this aura completely covers the house and all its grounds. Only magical weapons with a +1 or greater bonus can hit an einsaung.

The einsaung is extremely shy, preferring to remain invisible and ethereal. When the family of the house it occupies is threatened, the einsaung uses possess to inhabit a person and act through his body. Einsaung most often aid their households by providing advice, information (both of which mysteriously appear), and good fortune.

If a family offers food and small treasures to encourage it, an einsaung will move into the family's house and act as a protector. If the spirit is not honored and fed regularly, it may decide to leave. (The family will consider this loss a sign of bad luck to come.) The nat's “home” is always the southern cornerpost of the house. Although its actual lair is on the Ethereal Plane, the einsaung always centers its activities around this post.

Though shy, einsaung sometimes reveal their true forms in order to play with small children, whom they adore. The spirits enjoy all types of food, especially fruit and nuts.

Hkum Yeng Nat

In addition to the powers common to all nats, hkum yeng have the following abilities. Once per round, at will, they can use purify food and drink, create spring, snake summon, dispel magic, castigate, oath, hail of stones, fire ruin, elemental burst, and become ethereal. Three times a day, they can use animate fire and animate wood. Once per day, they can quell and remove curse. Once per week, they wield the power of an ancient curse.

A hkum yeng radiates an aura of fear with a 10-foot radius. Those who enter this aura and see or detect the spirit must make a save vs. spells. A failed save means the victim flees in panic for 2-5 rounds. Hkum yeng only can be hit by weapons of +2 or better.

This lesser spirit protects an entire village - usually a village of fierce savages. The hkum yeng takes up residence at some central point, such as the head stakes of a headhunting tribe. If the villagers neglect their offerings or otherwise offend the spirit, the hkum yeng brings misfortune and death.

Lu Nat

This nat is single-mindedly malicious, seeking to cause harm whenever and wherever possible. It makes its lairs in graveyards and can be appeased by offerings of food. In addition to the powers of all nats, a lu nat can cast apparition, transfix, melt, fire shuriken, and stinking cloud three times per day. Once per day, it can use water to poison and wood rot. Only +1 or greater weapons can hit a lu nat.

An invisible cloud of disease with a 10-foot diameter surrounds this spirit. Each round that victims spend in this cloud, they must save vs. death. If they fail, they become infected with a rotting disease. The disease causes the loss of 1-10 hit points per round until cured. An infected victim cannot heal naturally or benefit from healing spells.