Vermilion Pudding
by Doc MoroniClimate/Terrain: Any
Frequency: Very Rare
Organization: Solitary
Activity Cycle: Any
Diet: Cinnabryl and Red Steel
Intelligence: Non-(0)
Treasure: Nil
Alignment: Neutral
No. Appearing: 1
Armor Class: 3
Movement: 6
Hit Dice: 10
Thaco: 11
No. of Attacks: 1
Damage/Attack: Nil
Special Attacks: See Below
Special Defenses: See Below
MR: Nil
Size T-L (1'-10' )
Morale: Special
XP Value: 2000
Also known as the red or quicksilver pudding, the vermilion pudding is the result of the red curse acting on any of the deadly pudding species. Vermilion puddings are a silvery-red color and cover a 1'x1' area per 10 hps (or fraction thereof) they possess.
Vermilion puddings consume cinnabryl and red steel. They can sense the presence of these metals within 60 yards. A vermilion pudding will continue to attack until slain or until no consumable metal is detectable. Vermilion puddings can travel on walls and cielings, and they can squeese through any opening at least 1 inch wide.
Vermilion puddings are immune to acid, cold, and poison. Weapon blows and lightning bolts split the pudding into two puddings each being half the size of the original and with half of the original's hps. A 1' diameter pudding will split into two thinner puddings. Fire, magic missles, and the missle legacy will cause normal damage.
Vermilion pudding acid does not affect organic matter but does dissolve cinnabryl and red steel. A vermilion pudding may consume 10 lbs. of red steel or 8 ounces of cinnabryl per combat round. Every pound of red steel or ounce of cinnabryl consumed adds 1 hp to the creature's total at the end of the round. Red steel weapons that strike the creature are consumed but do not cause the creature to split. If a smoke powder explosion occurs within 2 feet of a vermilion pudding then the creature will suffer 1-10 pts of damage. Crimson essence acts as a deadly poison to vermilion puddings. If spashed on the creature, the pudding must save vs poison or be destroyed suffering 20 hps of damage even if the save is succesful.
Vermilion puddings reproduce by fission; splitting when they reach 80 hps into two 40 hp puddings. For each week that goes by in which the creature does not consume at least one ounce of cinnabryl or one pound of red steel it will lose 1 hp. When a vermilion pudding is destroyed it's remains will dissolve and leave behind 1 ounce of vermiel for every hp the creature possessed.