Bat, Golden

Golden Bat

Bats usually flock in the layer of eternal darkness in the Beastlands called Karasuthra, but the rarest of them are the Golden bats. Golden bats look like ordinary bats except that they shimmer with metallic gold fur all over their bodies; even their wings are like gold leaf. They serve as messengers on the Upper Planes—often when a power wants to deliver a message to a follower on the planes or the Prime Material, one of these plucky bats will be chosen as a courier. This is how it works: When a message is to be delivered, the bats will fly to the location of the recipient. They then flap their wings emitting a gentle sonic wave. To most folks it only sounds like a high squeaking sound, but to the recipient, it is heard as a clear message. Afterwards, the bat returns to its home plane—bearing a reply if needed.

COMBAT: Usually these bats shy away from combat. They prefer to turn ethereal (curiously they can do this, even on the Outer Planes where no formal connection to the Ethereal exists) then engage their adversaries. However when pushed, or defending their young, they can emit a high ultra-sonic squeak that attacks the target’s equilibrium. The target must save vs. spell or be paralysed for 4 rounds. If the target makes their save, they will instead be slowed for 4 rounds.

Together, a flock of golden bats can combine their sonic attack into a wall of sound which inflicts 1d8 points of damage for every 1 bat below 9. When ten bats attack simultaneously the effect is equal to that of the spell wail of the banshee, and for every bat above 10, add +1 to damage.

Golden bats are imbued from birth with the ability to flare up with a continual light, which dispels the effects of continual darkness or darkness spell and can be used to blind foes. In a desperate situation they can flare up with an illumination equal to that of the sun for one turn. Undead caught within this glare will be treated as though they are under bright sunlight, and furthermore priests can turn undead with a +6 bonus under the illumination. Doing this however causes the bat to burst in a shower of golden sparks at the end of the turn, killing it instantly. As some consolation for the bat however, its essence finds its way back and merges with the Beastlands, no matter where the death occurred.

HABITAT/SOCIETY: Golden bats usually keep to themselves in small damp caves. A typical cave can house some 4d100 bats comfortably. They only venture out to hunt for small insects and wild berries, to mate or on a celebration of the elven power Hanali Celanil on one of her Holy days. During this time the bats often migrate to Arborea or the various Prime worlds where this goddess is worshipped. They return to their home plane just before the sun rises.

ECOLOGY: These bats eat small amount of food in the form of insects, and interact amicably with many kinds of humanoids—but tend to be shy or suspicious of humans. They usually carry out their activities during the night and sleep during the day, but they are in no way blinded if they do choose to travel during the day.

VARIANTS: The golden bats can summoned by good wizards as familiars. The ritual consists of the normal find familiar spell but the material components includes wild exotic berries, and small moonstones totalling 1000 jinx in value. The wizard must also remain true to their alignment, lest the golden bat abandon their master. If successful, the wizard gains 1 level, 10 hp and 10% magical resistance when within 20′ radius of the bat. The bat will gain a saving throw vs. spell with a +4 bonus when subjected to spells such as dismissal. When within 20′ radius of the caster the bat gains half the caster’s hit points, added to its previous hit point total and a 20% magical resistance. The bats usually prefer to serve as messengers for the wizard. Chant goes that a wizard can only summon a single golden bat in their own lifetime.

Source: Shizumaru Meioh