Sleepless Ram

Sleepless Ram
skill	13
stamina	12
Homeland	Kakhabad, Old World
Known associates	the Archmage of Mampang (creator)
Race/Species	Magical Creature

Spoiler Warning!!!: Plot and/or ending details of a Fighting Fantasy publication follow. Please DO NOT read this article if you do not want foreknowledge of this publication. Although the article below is based on canon, some of its content is considered extrapolation because it assumes a certain course of events through an adventure that has many possible routes.

The Sleepless Ram, also known as the Marble Ram or the Marbled Ram, was a creature located in Mampang Fortress, said to be the deadliest servant of the Archmage.

Description

The Sleepless Ram when inactive looked like a large marble sculpture on a raised pedestal resembling a shaggy dog or male sheep. It remained unchanged when active, but its legs could move 'abnormally' fast and could leave it's pedestal in less than a second despite its mass.

However, it would not attack the Archmage's guards should they be waiting in its room for someone to leave the study, implying it had friend/foe recognition.

Origins and Distribution

The Sleepless Ram appeared to have been a unique creature, but was one of many made out of solid rock, in this case marble, suggesting that the Sleepless Ram was a Golem. Due to its construction, the creature was also known as the Marbled Ram.

The creature stood guard in the room leading to the final Throben Doors of the Fortress before entering the study at the top of the building.

A clue to its age came from Shinva, Fifth Noble of Kharé, who recited a rhyming couplet about the creature and the sorceress known as the Sham that dates back to the 'ancient days' This implied that the Sleepless Ram and the Sham were much older than Shinva.

Since the Sleepless Ram was never destroyed by the Analander, it was possible that it still existed after the destruction of the Archmage.

Special Abilities

As fitting its reputation, the Sleepless Ram was near-impossible to defend against and could defeat even the toughest opponents. Its main attack was to charge at full speed against an opponent with sufficient force to kill an armoured Troll.

It is also capable of resisting the SAP and ROK spells, meaning that attempts to demoralise or petrify it by turning it to stone (which it already was) would simply not work. It could even escape from the otherwise deadly pool of quicksand created by the MUD spell, but this would slow it down.

Unless an opponent had some kind of reliable counter to the Sleepless Ram, the only escape is to run towards the Throben Doors. Despite of all of this, the Sleepless Ram can be disabled by a vial of liquid kept by Dintainta, the Sham, or a vial of hogweed essence yet even then the creature would soon recover and would be just as deadly as before.

Dealing with Sleepless Ram

The process of countering the Sleepless Ram starts in Kharé when the player receives Shinva's clue. In the Baklands, the player may meet Dintainta and receive the vial.

As implied, the Sleepless Ram is a very difficult opponent for the player when they encounter it. As stated, only the MUD spell has any effect on it, but this will allow the player to escape the creature's initial charge, which otherwise cost the player 2 STAMINA points.

Regardless, the player will then be able to choose an item to counter the creature. A Yellowfruit Skin and a Parchment Scroll will offer no aid, while an Enchanted Compass will give a reading towards the Throben Doors but is also useless, so all 3 will result in death. A Glass Vial of Liquid will only work if given to the player by a woman (i.e. Dintainta), not by a man or if found, again with any error resulting in death. If the player has Dintainta's vial, they will be able to disable the creature and reach the Throben Doors without harm, but without the key they will die once the creature recovers.

Without the vial, the player will have to run and Test their Luck 3 times, with any unlucky roll resulting in death. Even if Lucky, the player will lose 8 stamina points, representing a strained ankle and being knocked towards the Throben Doors. Again, the player must have the key or they will die.

Should the player attempt to leave the study behind the Throben Doors, they will not face the Sleepless Ram again but rather guards. It is notable that the text never mentions the creature or the Analander's thoughts on going through its room again.

Further Information in Canon

More information can be found at:^Source
Kharé - Cityport of Traps (para209)
The Seven Serpents (para22, para290)
The Crown of Kings (para21, para25, para58\,71, para196, para207, para224, para241, para252, para255, para278, para296, para329, para415, para491, para504, para512, para580*, para681)

Appendix

Appearances

Adventures

• Kharé - Cityport of Traps (book) (mentioned)
• The Crown of Kings (book)
• The Seven Serpents (book) (mentioned)

Sourcebooks

• Beyond the Pit

References