Kamadan
| Kamadan | |
|---|---|
| Error creating thumbnail: File missing A kamadan, illustrated in Dungeon#136, "The Coming Storm". Art by UDON with Mike Franchina. | |
| General information | |
| Size: | Large |
| Alignment: | Neutral or unaligned |
| Type: | Monstrosity |
| Subtype: | Magical beast |
| First appearance: | Fiend Folio (1981) |
Kamadans (pronounced /KAM-a-dan/)[1][2] are a "leopard-like" creature found in the Flanaess, but originates far to the west in its native Mur.[3]
Description
Kamadans are "one of the most feared animals in the forests of Greyhawk".[4]
"A kamadan is a feline predator that resembles a leopard with six snakes sprouting from its shoulders."[2] "It measures a full 8 feet from nose to tail, and snakes writhe on its shoulders."[5] The snakes extending from the kamadan's back are in constant motion, paricularly when agitated, and they "hiss and sway."[5] The snakes of some aren't venomous,[5][6] but other kamadans have snakes with venomous bites.[2][3]
They have orange to golden eyes,[4][7] and spotted, yellowish fur, sometimes with teal spots.[3] Some have tails which end in a "scaly protrusion like that of a rattlesnake."[3]
Like the leopards they resemble, kamadans have "long, curved fangs."[7]
Kamadans lay "several leathery eggs" in a clutch.[8]
Components from kamadans
The kamadan plays a unique role in the magical economy. The glands from a kamadan's leopard head are highly sought after for enchanting. The enhanced teeth of brass dragons can be sown in the ground to grow armored warriors with an alignment the same as the dragon.[9]
The value of a kamadan's pelt is modest at 6gp, but a living young cub commands a staggering 4,200gp.[10]
The kamadan's tongue is a key ingredient in crafting potent sleep potions. Additionally, various parts of the kamatlan, a creature related to the kamadan, are integral to the practice of hishna magic, a form of spellcraft.[11]
Behavior
When they are upset or angry, kamadans screech[5], flatten their ears, hiss, snarl, and growl.[7] When content, kamadans purr.[7][12] Also much like felines and great cats, kamadans groom themselves (and others) with their rough tongues.[7][12]
Kamadans may make great leaps, especially when they attack.[5] and in some editions have a "pounce" attack.[2]
Abilities
Kamadan have intelligence beyond that of natural animals. "Low" by human or humanoid standard, but they are capable of logical thought and if a language barrier can be overcome, kamadan can comminicate their thoughts or opinions rudimentarily.
Kamadans can exhale a long cloud of sleep gas. (30')[5]
Society
Kamadans socialize in various ways; they can be found alone[6][13] or in mated pairs,[2][3] and can be found in prides[3] or hunting packs.
Kamadans may be individually domesticated,[14] but are not domesticated as a species.
Language
Kamadans do not naturally speak or have a language of their own, though they are intelligent enough to understand some language in a limited fashion.[3]
History
Appearances
Novels
- Circus of Fear (1983), by Rose Estes.
Gallery
-
First depiction. Fiend Folio (1981). Art by Alan Hunter.
-
1993 Trading Card #445. Art by Jeff Easley.
-
1993 Trading Card #445. Art by Jeff Easley.
External links
Disclaimer:Any lore presented through the following links does not necessarily adhere to established officially published content, and the views expressed do not necessarily represent the views of the editors of this wiki.
- Monster ENCyclopedia: Kamadan at ENWorld.
References
Notes
Citations
- ↑ "Ay pronunseeAYshun gyd". Dragon #83 (Mar 1984), p.26.
- ↑ a b c d e Tomb of Annihilation (2017), p.225.
- ↑ a b c d e f g "The Coming Storm". Dungeon #136 (Jul 2006), p.60
- ↑ a b Circus of Fear Endless Quest #10 (1983), p.54.
- ↑ a b c d e f Circus of Fear Endless Quest #10 (1983), p.62.
- ↑ a b Fiend Folio (1981), p.55.
- ↑ a b c d e Circus of Fear Endless Quest #10 (1983), p.144.
- ↑ 1993 Trading Cards, card #445, Kamadan
- ↑ "The Magic of Dragon Teeth". Dragon #98 (Jun 1985), p.11, 13.
- ↑ "Treasures of the Wild". Dragon #137 (Sep 1988), p.17,21.
- ↑ Echohawk. Monster ENCyclopedia: Kamadan (forum). ENWorld. Retrieved on 25 November 2024.
- ↑ a b Circus of Fear Endless Quest #10 (1983), p.82.
- ↑ Dungeon #136 (Jul 2006), p.60
- ↑ "The Coming Storm". Dungeon #136 (Jul 2006), p.44
Bibliography
- Fiend Folio, p55, 122 (July 1981)
- Endless Quest #10: CoF, p54-55 (July 1983)
- Monster Manual II, p23 (August 1983)
- Mentzer, Frank. “Ay pronunseeAYshun gyd”. Dragon #93. (January 1985).Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, Inc.
- Dragon #98, p13, The Magic of Dragon Teeth (June 1985)
- Dungeon #9, p56, The Plight of Cirria (January 1988)
- Dragon #137, p17, 21, Treasures of the Wilds (September 1988)
- Polyhedron #49, p9-10, Cataclysm (September 1989)
- Dungeon #22, p17, The Leopard Men (March 1990)
- Dungeon #23, p30, The Pyramid of Jenkel (May 1990)
- Maztica Campaign Set, Maztica Alive!, p61 (June 1991)
- MC14: Monstrous Compendium Fiend Folio Appendix (April 1992)
- 1993 Trading Cards, #445/495 (September 1993)
- Dungeon #136, p56, 60, The Coming Storm (July 2006)
- Dungeon #137, p11-12, Prison Mail (August 2006)
- Icons of the Realms: Tomb of Annihilation, figure #27/44 (July 2017)
- Tomb of Annihilation, p92, 97, 195, 201, 225, 256 (September 2017)
Encyclopedia Greyhawkania Index
The Encyclopedia Greyhawkania Index (EGI) is based on previous work of Jason Zavoda through '08, continued by numerous other fans. The EGI article has a list of sources, product names, abbreviations, and a link to the full, downloadable index.
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