This small, awkward reptile with a fist-sized gem jutting from between its two bulging eyes seems both surprised and perplexed.
Deep in the tangled underbrush of forests and in the remote regions of dismal swamps and bogs lives a strange creature called the carbuncle. The carbuncle is a withdrawn creature and seeks to avoid encounters. Should it seek interaction, a carbuncle often begins by proudly announcing the value of the gem in its forehead just to watch the reaction such information arouses. Despite its overall shy nature, the carbuncle has a mischievous side as well, often seeking to join travelers in order to play pranks and gauge the reactions of the unfortunate victims of its curiosity. After joining with a party, a carbuncle will seek to cause discord by using selective telepathic images and prophesies to breed hostility and suspicion between party members. It will often telepathically contact nearby monsters and lead them to attack the party so that it can watch in fascination and read the thoughts of the party as they are attacked, slipping away at an opportune moment. A carbuncle can be coerced to surrender the gem in its forehead. This requires a successful DC 20 Bluff check. If successful, the carbuncle releases the gem. If the check fails, the carbuncle sees through the deception and attempts to flee. When a carbuncle is slain, its forehead gem crumbles to dust. If the carbuncle relinquishes its gem, it grows another one within one month. Though fascinated by combat, carbuncles are nearly helpless in melee. They much prefer to set up encounters using their powers and then watch the brutal scenes unfold. Carbuncles surrender immediately if attacked. If placed under duress, a carbuncle wills itself to die. A favorite tactic of the carbuncle is befriending a party and accompanying them on their quest. Once it has achieved this objective, it uses its discord ability to cause suspicion, hostility, and disruption among the party members.
Never have legend and misinformation met upon a more inauspicious brow than that of the lowly carbuncle. Even the creature's name summons ideas that range from the grandiose to the grotesque. Carbuncles appear to be little more than ungainly reptiles. What sets them apart, however, is their strange magical abilities and the fist-sized gemstone horn jutting from above their bulging eyes. Although tales differ regarding the type and value of the stone, many claim it is a ruby or garnet. In truth, however, a carbuncle's gem is merely a highly ref lective growth, not unlike a fingernail. Carbuncles exhibit a peculiar attraction to magic-users, especially sorcerers with the fey bloodline and any who pack supplies of fresh fruit. Many enchanters laud the extraordinary mind-control powers of these intense creatures and extol the aid they can offer mages of their field-though others consider such tales something of an academic in-joke. A neutral spellcaster with the Improved Familiar feat can gain a carbuncle as a familiar at 5th level.