There are four species of Phoenixes in Glorantha.
THE SKY PHOENIX: This creature lives in the sky, and is also sometimes called a Firebird. It can be summoned by magic spells, or occasionally dips to Earth by itself. Presumably they regenerate from death like other Phoenixes, but it is not known when. Maybe only once, at the Dawn.
THE EARTH PHOENIX: These dwell in Kralorela. Some nest on mountaintops, others in sacred forests. One nests on the roof of Godunya's Imperial Palace, as a sign of godly favor.
Once a year, an Earth Phoenix builds its nest, lays a single egg, immolates itself, and is renewed from a tiny worm within the egg. These Phoenixes are technically mortal, and can be killed by humans (but it's hard -- they're a Monster Rating of IV or V, if you know what that means) before the year is out. This means that since the Dawn, the total number of Phoenixes has been gradually decreasing. Whenever one is destroyed or slain, it does not renew. Emperor Godunya in his wisdom has placed the remaining few hundred Phoenixes under his personal protection, and where possible, parties of Kralori soldiery actually guard the phoenix nest during the first season of the year, when the infant phoenix is growing from a small worm-like creature, and cannot really protect itself. The vile Huan To monsters especially delight in killing phoenixes when possible, which is strong evidence that their preservation is important to the Empire.
THE DOOM PHOENIX: There is only one Doom Phoenix, and it lives on the island of Yoptitpoea in the East Isles (otherwise uninhabited). It makes one nest every Age, laying two eggs some decades before the end of the age, and incubating them till the age ends, when it immolates itself. It lays a Light Egg and a Dark Egg. The Light Egg hatches into the new embryonic phoenix, which takes only a century or so to grow up. The Dark Egg, so far, has never hatched. No one knows what happens to it after the Phoenix's immolation.
The Phoenix has laid its eggs, and is currently "setting", another Sign Of The Times (i.e., the Third Age is on its last legs).
THE DAWN PHOENIX: There is only one Dawn Phoenix, and it lives on Vithela. Every morning, it cremates itself and rises from its nest anew to greet the Sun God. No one knows if it lays a Dark Egg as well as a Light Egg. Let's hope not.
SPECTRES
Spectres are living creatures of illusion. There are two
types of origins for these beings in Glorantha. The first are
creatures made by the casting of the various illusion spells, and
then given life somehow (for instance, by binding a spirit into an
Illusory Substance). These are not described here. The second are
more mysterious, and may date back to the Godtime. They are most
common in the East Isles and environs.
Typically, a spectre looks crudely manlike. It usually has a head (but not always), sometimes more than one. It has limbs (various in number). It can stretch and contract its limbs and body, but it cannot actually change the number of limbs it possesses.
They possess only SIZ & INT, and Magic Points. Their SIZ is not true SIZ, but is more like an Intensity or Reality. All Spectres are similar in size -- a little smaller or a little taller than a human. However, a SIZ 1 Spectre is very hazy and translucent, while a SIZ 10 spectre is so opaque it glows brightly. But they may be the same size. A SIZ 10 spectre can expand itself to be much larger than a human, but as it does so, it loses resolution, and becomes more dim and foggy.
Spectres have 1d6 hit points per SIZ point. The damage they do upon a successful hit is 1d10 per SIZ point. The damage is peculiar looking -- wounds just "open up" on the victim when the spectre makes his attacking motions, sometimes not even touching the target's body. A small clawless limb can deliver enormous amounts of damage, depending solely on the spectre's SIZ.
Spectres are vulnerable to dispelling magic. However, the spectre does get to resist such a spell before it takes effect. A Dispell Magic stronger than a spectre's SIZ will blast it back to wherever it came from. A Dismiss Magic permanently removes 2 SIZ of the Spectre per point in the Dismiss Magic. Neutralize Magic may dispell a spectre, if it overcomes his SiZ with its Intensity.
Example: Sun Tim casts a Dismiss Magic 4 at a 10-point Spectre. First, the spectre tries to resist the spell, matching its 15 MPs vs. Sun Tim's 14 MPs. Luckily, Sun Tim overcomes the spectre. Then the spell takes effect, blasting away 8 points of the spectre's SIZ. It is now a 2 point spectre, much easier to deal with.
SIZ 1-10 Hit Points: 1d6 to 10d6 INT 1d20 Magic Points: 1d10+10 Move: 1m/SR per magic point (i.e.,11-20)
weapon sr attk% damage blow 1 95 1d10 to 10d10 SPECIAL ATTACKS: a spectre can choose to attack either histargets' hit points or his spells. If it attacks the spells and successfully hits, then the damage done is treated as if it were a Dispel Magic directed at the target's spells. Normally defensive spells are targeted first. If the spectre attacks hit points, normal damage is done, reduced by parries and armor.
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Spectres have no hit locations. They regenerate at the rate of their Hit Points at the end of each round. If they are knocked below 0 hit points, then they "freeze" and appear as two-dimensional ragged versions of themselves. They'll remain so frozen until they regenerate back to full hit points. If a spectre begins a melee round below 0 hit points, it loses 1 SIZ, and so eventually will dwindle and vanish.
Some spectres are invulnerable to all but magic weapons. Normally, the chance of this being the case is equal to the spectre's INT x 3 or less on 1d100.
When a spectre loses SIZ either by Dismiss Magic or by taking damage, simply reduce its hit points by a flat 3 per SIZ lost. Only reduce the maximum hit points, not its current hit points. If this would lower the spectre's maximum hp below 0, it is instantly dispelled. If it is lowered to 0 SIZ, whether or not it has hps left, it is also dispelled.
Example of Combat: Sun Tim's spectre had 35 hit points, but now has been knocked down to a 2-point spectre. This costs it (8*3) = 24 hit points, so it has 11 points left. Sun goes into combat against it striking for 12 hit points, knocking it down to -1. That round, it regenerates 11 HPs back to a total of 10. Sun hits it the next round, with a critical hit, for 24 points of damage, knocking it down to - -14. At the end of the round, it regenerates up to -3. At the start of the next round, it is still negative, so loses 1 SIZ, which also lowers its maximum Hit Pts by 3 to 7. Sun doesn't stop fighting, but sadly misses the immobile spectre that round, allowing it to regenerate 7 points back up to +4. The fight goes on.
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