Repeated attempts to break free may b made, but no other action - attack or defense - is possible by the victim dur- ing the round of attempted escape.) Mimics are interested only in personal safety and an endless quest or food. "Killer" mimics will attack any living creatu-re, regardless of the number of adversaries or their powers. The more intelligent varie$ often prefers to bargain with an enemy initially - but the crea- hrres have no moral standards as we know them: If an enemy is sufficiently weakened after a bargain has been shuck, a mimic will "change its mind," always seeking a meal first and foremost. Mim.ics have very sensitive "eyespots" (patches of pigmeni that are sensitive to heaf light, and vibration) all over their skin. Bright sunlight overwhelms these sensory spots, effectively blinding the mimic; thus, the creatures are almost always found below ground or in other areas where the sun never reaches. Mimics of all sorts are immune to the deleterious effects of alcohol ut will absorb it if offered, to make use of the inherent nu- trients and sugar), and are also unaffected by slime (including green slime), molds The ecology ,",1. mimic (including the brown and yellow varie- ties), and the conosive secretions of crea- tures such as the black pudding, gray ooze, ochre jelly, stunjelly, and gelatinous by Ed Greenwood cube. It should be remembered that mimics From the lournals of Maerlun the the cavity wall muscles, they squirt their can tavel on walls and ceilings as easily Scholar: contents rapidly (within 1 round) into the as they can on floors. Those of the more The mimic is a curious (and danger- outer skin layer, filling many capillaries intelligent sort are most adept at "hid- ous) creature to most minds - but few that lie just beneath the skin surface. ing" by assuming the shape of a partition know, or care to know, that there ae These capillaries then stand out, brown- wall, overhanging arc or rough rock actually several related species of rnimic, ish and wrinkled, in a pattem resembling wall if they feel threatened. One famous, divided into two groups: a larger, "killer" wood grain. if somewhat extreme, example: A mimic variety that is of iesser intelligence, Reversing the process, from the wood- somehow came into one of the busiest attacking all nearby prey, and does not grain appearance to the natural state, market squares of Waterdeep and speak; and the more intelligent eloquent requires a sort of external contortion; a assumed the shape of a stahre. It species which will often bargain for food, mimic appears to wriggle and twist all remained undetected for two winters, has a curious (as yet unfathomed by me) over as it empties its capillaries of the until the chronic disappearance of street language of its owr and often speaks liquid. (The creature can, as we all know, derelicts in the square on every dark night orcish, the corrmon tongue, dwarvish, or alter the external configuration of its prompted an investigation. A sewer other tongues used in the vicinity of the form at will, within the limits imposed beside this shangely unfamiliar (to the individual creature's hunting ground. by the actual volume of its form.) The sculptor who had "done" the square) The mimic gains its name from its mimic grows replacement layers of skin stahre was discovered to be filled to a ability to alter not only its body shape but beneath the outer one, which is con- depth of more than 60 feet with human the color and texture of the outer surface stantly being worn away by the ravages of and animal bones. (Even after this fact as well. The color and texture changes are movement, battle, and feeding. was discovered, the "statue" ate two accomplished by the shifting of pig- The mimic is amorphous, and moves members of the City Watch who prodded mented liquid between interior and exte- in the same way it attacks: by extending it carelessly with their spears, not expect- rior body cells, so that the creahre resem- shong pseudopods, which exude a sticky ing to find anything.) bles wood or stone in color and texture "glue" and pulling themselves along. A Although the details of the concoction depending on whether this pigmented mimic can "unstick" its own glue at any are not known by this scribe, it is gener- liquid is brought to the outer surface of time, and it never sticks to itself. ally said that the skin of the mimic is use- the creafure's body or stored intemally. Reputedly, this glue is sticky enough ful in the making of a polymorph (selfl A mimic is naturally gray in hue, with that only the strongest of adventurers has potion. Also, further investigation is a smoot very hard outer skin that gives a good chance of breaking the mimic's needed to determine the range of havel of it the stonelike appearance. The pig- hold without killing the creature first. an individual mimic over a lifetime, and mented liquid, brownish in color (often Some adventurers claim to have pulled the precise efficacy of the creaturds detec- revealed to adventurers when a mirnic is themselves free from a mimic's glue, but tion organs, whic based on casual wounded in battle), is held within the such tales are rare and often their veracity observatior appear to "see" up to 90 feet body in large, muscular organs that serve is doubtful: (To simulate the possibility in subterranean (not total) darkness, and as both bags and pumps. When these of breaking free in game terms, held up to 30 feet in the gloom of night, or in organs are squeezed by the contraction of characters may be allowed to attempt an darkened areas above ground. 5 6 JULY 1983
The Ultimate RPG Character Backstory Guide: Expanded Genres Edition: Prompts and Activities to Create Compelling Characters for Horror, Sci-Fi, X-Punk, and More