Zábo
The Kettle-Familiar — Arcane Boundling
Type: Tiny Aberrant Familiar (Vessel-bound, Arcane)
Alignment: Neutral Mirthful
Armor Class: 14 (warping presence)
Hit Points: 12 (5d4)
Speed: 30 ft., Teleport 10 ft. (requires metal conduit)
STR 4 (–3) DEX 16 (+3)
CON 12 (+1) INT 14 (+2)
WIS 15 (+2) CHA 13 (+1)
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 12
Languages: Understands all; speaks few (only whispers when asked)
Challenge: 1 (200 XP)
Description
Zábo is a soot-colored, cat-sized goblin-thing who resides within the sealed Vanta Reliquary. He appears only when all six keys are fused and the chest is opened with the seventh.
His smoky quartz eyes rarely blink. His voice is flat, dry—like parchment folding on stone.
He smells faintly of iron and plum, and often swings his legs idly when seated.
Though mildly helpful and vaguely amused, Zábo rarely offers answers. He doesn’t lie. He simply waits.
He is not a pet. He is not a ghost. He is not your friend.
He is the presence that arrives after you’ve made the correct (or final) decision.
Size Note: Zábo averages around 1½ feet tall, though he seems able to subtly swell or shrink at will—like breath held in a dream.
Traits and Abilities
Metal Phase (Recharge 5–6):
Zábo disappears and reappears within 30 ft—only if trace metal is present at the destination (coin, hinge, nail, blade). No sound. No light.
False Echo (At-Will):
Projects a subtle illusionary sound (voice, knock, breath, whisper) within 20 ft.
DC 13 Insight to disbelieve.
Retrieve Object (1/Day):
Summons any visible, unattended object within 30 ft to his side—up to 10 lbs.
Thinpass (Passive):
Can slip through gaps or cracks smaller than 2 inches as though he were mist.
This is not teleportation—he simply stops being here and starts being there.
Offerbound Magic (1/Day):
If offered a piece of metal (any kind), Zábo may perform one significant magical favor.
This action can bypass danger, reveal truth, or reshape small realities.
Without a metal offering, the magic fails.
Behavior
- Temperament: Wry, observant, rarely emotional. Zábo watches more than he speaks, and when he does speak, it’s usually short and weighted. He does not comfort, but he does understand.
- Combat Role: Avoids all conflict unless pressed by myth-tier forces or dimensional anomalies. He views violence the way one might view bad weather: occasionally necessary, always beneath him.
- Quirks: Counts things silently. Hums to objects under his breath. Loiters in corners. Dislikes being watched directly, and becomes visibly irritated if questioned too often.
- Rodent Behavior: Occasionally consumes small rodents—quietly, deliberately, and without apology. The act is less about hunger and more about rhythm, like tending a clock or completing a story beat only he understands.
Known Habitat
Bound exclusively to the Vanta Reliquary, a deep-black, key-locked artifact chest.
Cannot stray far unless tethered by bond.
Some believe he was sealed inside as punishment. Others believe he volunteered.
Hooks and Usage
- Mysterious Companion: Players may mistake Zábo for a quirky sidekick. He is, in fact, a high-tier reality valve with motives older than memory.
- Puzzle Agent: Zábo may offer a needed clue, item, or shortcut—if approached with sincerity.
- Vanishing Risk: If mocked, bound, or used selfishly, Zábo may vanish forever. The chest reseals. The chance is lost.
Harvest & Relics
Note: Zábo does not die. But sometimes, he might leave something behind.
Mirthsmoke Residue
Metallic ash found near places he phases. When added to ink or lockpicks, grants one-time magical edge—usually in silence or secrecy.Zábo’s Coin
A rare spiral-marked coin he sometimes leaves in thanks.
Said to unlock any door—physical or metaphorical. Once.
Lore & Strange Beliefs
The Seventh Flame
Some say Zábo was once a candlelight who grew curious and became physical.
He denies this—but slowly.
The Tinner’s Curse
Smiths whisper that every nail lost behind the forge goes to Zábo’s hoard. He remembers who owes him.
The Whisper Kettle
A northern tale describes a kettle that bubbles with no fire and sings only when no one listens.
It is not a kettle. It is waiting.
