FREQUENCY: Rare ([Temperate Wilderness Forest], [Temperate Wilderness Swamp])

FREQUENCY: Rare ([Tropical Wilderness Forest], [Tropical Wilderness Swamp])

FREQUENCY: Rare ([Dungeon Level I])

NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: 2
MOVE: 3"
HIT DICE: 1
% IN LAIR: 10%
TREASURE TYPE: Nil
NO. OF ATTACKS: Nil
DAMAGE/ATTACK: Nil
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Low-average
ALIGNMENT: Neutral with chaotic tendencies
SIZE: S (3' long)
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: I | 14 + 1

SAVES: 14.15.16.17.17

This small creature is similar to an armadillo with an 'armoured' upper
surface of small interlocking 'plates' of tough leathery skin. It feeds
xclusively on leaves && small insects and is rarely found outside
such areas (such as woodland && marshland) where there is a copious
supply of such food. Its upper surface armouring is attractively
patterned in shades of brown white while its underbody is light grey flecked with small green patches.

Set in its head, immediately above its eyes, is a large ruby.
This is actually part of the animal and if the beast dies the ruby will shatter into worthless dust.
The creature may, however, be coaxed into giving up its ruby by a wizard (or anyone of equal status) who are uses a <MU11, prb>
charm monster || charm animal ability.

The gem is usu. (70%)
500 gp value though rare specimens (25%) have a 1,000 gp gems and
there is a 5% chance that a carbuncle will have a 5,000 gp gem. If
successfully removed a carbuncle's gem will regrow at the rate of
100 gp per month. The value of the gem may change each time it
regrows.

The creature has empathy and telepathy, communicating via the latter,
and also slight powers of prophecy concerning the immediate future.
Its power of empathy enables it to understand the character of
each person it encounters and now what that person knows, though
its intelligence does not permit it to formulate more than very basic concepts.

If attacked, it puts up no resistance and is easily captured. It can will
itself to die, however -- it has no fear or conception of death and will
give up its life if placed under duress. It will usually approach a party
of adventurers and communicate the value of its gem to them,
seeking to accompany the party. When this objective has been
achieved, however, and it has gained the confidence of the party, its
malicious nature will lead it to try to cause disruption within the group,
using selective telepathy and prophecies, true and false, to breed
hostility, suspicion, and even fighting between party members.
Alternatively -- but rarely -- it may communicate secretly with
nearby monsters to enrage them into attacking the party. Its motives
in spreading such dissidence are not entirely clear, but it is the belief
of certain sages that the carbuncle's inability to comprehend death
makes it fascinated by combat and particularly by death, to the extent
that it will do its utmost to promote such events.

Having achieved its objective, the carbuncle will watch the events in
morbid fascination then, choosing an opportune moment, it will
quietly slip away.
 

    by Albie Fiore