Feeblestar

The feeblestar is a modest, five-legged starfish of the deep ocean, gray-green and about four inches across from tip to tip when grown. The variety bred by the brinekin is twice that size, roughly eight inches across.

The wild feeblestar threatens almost nothing but deep-sea clams and mussels. It wraps its legs around a shell like any starfish, but instead of relying on brute force it releases an enzyme that saps the animal inside, so the shell soon opens easily.

Brinekin magic has made the larger breed's enzyme far stronger. Any creature of Medium size or smaller that it touches must save vs. poison or suffer two effects. The first matches ray of enfeeblement: Strength drops to 5, with -2 to attack rolls and -1 to damage rolls. The second matches the hopelessness version of the emotion spell.

Pulling the starfish off a victim kills it, and the enzyme's effects fade 1d4 turns afterward.

Wild feeblestars live in large colonies on the deep seabed, eating the same shellfish as other starfish. Their small size and dull color may protect them, since predators prefer their brighter relatives.

The brinekin learned long ago how useful these creatures are and now farm the enhanced breed in cages within their settlements. A large community may keep up to sixty, adults and smaller juveniles together. On slave raids the fish-folk attach one to the back of each new captive's neck. The weakness keeps prisoners from fighting, and the hopelessness leaves them docile, easy to move, and with no will to resist.

Feeblestars are an ordinary link in the deep-ocean food chain. They breed like other starfish and can regrow a lost limb.