The Matara
The Matara is an old and ancient spirit from the ancient world of Blackmoor. At one time the Matara was a servant of Set that was later trapped to existance in a non-corpeal form. The Matara exists in the dark and shadowest corners of the mind always whispering temptations. However the Matara is powerless to intervene the affairs of mortal men, for he is always trapped in his spirit world.The Matara was forever locked in the spirit world until a cataclysim in what is described as a mushroom cloud formed in over modern day Glantri around 1300 BC. In the steppes of Ethengar, The Land of Black Sand formed with a gateway to the spirit world, thus releasing the Matara, into the Prime Material Plane.
Servents of the Matara trapped the soul of Kadan Kahn of the Kiyats. into a soul gem safetly hidden in the spirit world. The spiritless Kahn became the new habitation for the Matara.
The Matara has the ability to possess individuals through one of two means while in spirit form. The Matara can possess a victem through his dreams. A victem that seeks power and glory is more susceptable to the Matara's whisperings. The Matara will try to weaken the victem through mental attacks. In the weaken state, the Matara will push his will over the weakened victem's will. This method takes time. The other way The Matara can dominate a victem is through the tattoo of a serpent on the current victem's arm. The Matara will try to grab the victem's hand and hold it. The victem will be paralyzed unless the victem makes a sucessful save vs Paralysis. A successful save means the victem has a chance to break away before the transfer is complete. A paralyzed victem is powerless to watch the transferance take place by having the Matara's snake tattoo slither down the arm onto the victem's arm where it will now permantely reside. The original inhabitent will revert back to his normal state with no memory of any events while possessed.
The Matara has two physical forms which are seldom used. One form is non-corpreal appearing as a flickering black wraith with eyes of fire. This form requires a +3 or better weapon to hit. The second form is a huge constrictor snake. In either of these forms, the Matara can possess victems through a gaze attack. The victem must save vs Spell or be possess. Once a victem is possessed, the Matara's physical form disappears.
The Matara disdains mirrors as this reflects the Matara's whisperings back towards the Matara. If surrounded by mirrors, this will force the spirit out of the victem and into one of the Matara's physical manisfestations. If the Matara cannot possess another victem within the next five rounds after being trapped within mirror, the Matara will be sent back to the Spirit world.
