Tonberri (3.5e Monster)

''They're sneaky bastards, you have to watch the dark corners especially. You never know when it will pop out and strike. For something that moves so slow and looks so innocent they're uncaring devils, the lot of them.''

The tonberri (also know as the tonberry, dinglberry, or pug) is a short green creature no taller than 3 feet at most, body hunched dressed up in drab brown robes, and a rounded snout with large yellow eyes with no pupils or whites. Sometimes a fish-like tail is visible from under their robes, and they move with a slow shuffling gait. They are dangerous creatures who shuffle around dungeons with their iconic dagger and lantern, seeming to search for something. While not inherently evil, tonberries are known to hold grudges that defy time and reason. A slight from a human 300 years ago may still burn bright in the tonberri's heart, and as a result most tonberries are hostile to many creatures, having had bad experience with them in times past.

It is rumored that the tonberri was once another race who through some slight, was cursed by the gods to wander the darkness searching for comfort but never finding it. Embittered, they sulk through shadows as dangerous dungeon beasts. They are native to the Plane of Shadow, but are often found in the Astral Plane and any place with deep shadow, such as underground. Some tonberri are known to grow to great sizes, and in the shadowy sort of civilization they possess they are known as Master Tonberries or Tonberri Kings.

Tonberri speak Undercommon, and often learn two local languages. They are long lived, and if you can get a tonberri to talk, they are knowledgeable about many things.

Combat
Slow and steady is the tonberri, the tonberri is rarely in a rush to do anything. It takes advantage of its normally non-threatening appearance to delay ambivalent targets for as long as possible, and rely on their fantastic durability to keep them alive as they approach. When in combat, a tonberri will throw around a few Everyone's Grudge attempts at the enemy until it gets into range to attack with its knife. If the enemies prove evasive and are wise to the danger of its blade, it will employ what battlefield control it can, or flee the scene if its health grows too low. It can always come back later when the enemy least expects it, slipping out of the shadow in their time of rest.

Counter (Ex): Except for free and swift actions, anything you do provokes an attack of opportunity from the tonberri, even things that normally would not. Unlike normal attacks of opportunity, the counter occurs after the provoking action, and the tonberri may make an unlimited number of counters. Fortunately this is mostly limited to melee range, all the more reason not to stand next to a tonberri.

Deadly Knife (Ex): In the hands of a tonberri a simple knife is most dangerous. In addition to the standard damage a tonberri deals it also deals an additional 1d6 points of damage per HD. This is a property of the tonberri and not the knife itself, which is often simply masterwork.

Durable (Ex): The tonberri is a tank, able to shrug off even the most severe blows. It is never subject to death by massive damage, its AC is +4 higher for the purpose of confirming critical hits, it always has maximum hp per HD, and it gains an extra 5 hp per HD. In addition whenever it rests for 8 hours it recovers all its hp and removes any status effects that would be removed by a heal spell, a technique the tonberri often uses to return the next day strong and hearty as ever.

Everyone's Grudge (Su): It is said that the lantern that the tonberri carries holds the grudges of all the dead souls who perished and wished revenge. As a standard action every 1d4 rounds the tonberri can create a ghostly flame erupt around living creatures, no two of which can be more than 40 ft. apart. It has a range of Long (400 ft. + 100 ft. per HD) and deals 1d6+1 points of force damage based on the opponent's HD, with a DC 21 Will save for half. The saving throw is Wisdom based.

Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex): A tonberri cannot longer be flanked. This defense denies a rogue the ability to sneak attack the tonberri by flanking it, unless the attacker has at least four more rogue levels than the target has HD.

Mettle (Ex): Touch as nails by sword or spells. If the tonberri is subject to a spell with Will or Fortitude save Partial, and it makes the save, it is unaffected by the spell.

Spell-Like Abilities: At will- darkness, 2/day- shadow walk, 1/day- dispel magic, silence.

Tonberri Lamp: The lamp the tonberri carries sheds light as normal for a lamp, but requires no oil and generates no heat, much like a continual flame. The tonberri can control the brightness of the light as a free action on its turn, and snuffs it out completely when attempting to hide. Others who find it merely discover it is a continual flame lamp which has the curious ability to function normally when on the Plane of Shadow. It's value is 200gp and it is unsure by what means the tonberri create them. It is a necessary focus for the ability Everyone's Grudge.