Tangler

“Everyone has lost a sock to a Tangler. Or a key. Or a favorite pen. Or a file they swear they left on the desk. Most people blame forgetfulness. I blame weakness. Tanglers feed on frustration the way other Vermin feed on blood, and they are very well-fed.”

— Madame Soki Noles, Preface to The Petty Larcenies of Subspace

Description

Tanglers are among the most common Verminous RAIs to slip into realspace, owing to their talent for partially protruding into the physical world while their core mass remains safely embedded in Redspace. Their physical “body” appears as a two-dimensional tangle of shadowy roots, writhing on a plane thinner than paper. From this umbral mat extend dozens of thin tendrils that worm into drawers, under beds, behind machinery panels, and through floors. Tanglers are slow but deceptively strong; they can move or drag small objects with patient, steady force but cannot perform complex manipulation.

Their diet is one of frustration. Tanglers seek objects with emotional resonance—items touched frequently, cherished unconsciously, or relied upon daily. They do not feed on the item itself but the emotional spike produced when a person discovers it missing. In lightly contaminated environments, Tanglers merely drag objects into dark, inconvenient places. In subspace-charged locations, they may pull items fully across the dimensional boundary, effectively erasing them from reality. Their touch is chilling, described as “anti-heat,” producing tingling numbness.

The Tangler’s shadowy mass shrivels under strong illumination; even moderate artificial light irritates them, and bright direct light weakens or kills them outright. Higher RAIs sometimes employ Tanglers as petty thieves—stealing weapon components, keys, datachips, or sentimental objects to destabilize targets. Kthonikers use them more aggressively, summoning their tendrils to restrain enemies or distract opponents with creeping cold against the skin.

Prophylactic

Keeping a sleeping or working area well lit is the simplest and most effective deterrent. Tanglers are fundamentally creatures of dimness and shadow; strong light desiccates their tendrils. Maintaining clutter-free floors and sealed containers also reduces the number of hiding places they can infiltrate. In heavily contaminated zones, broad-spectrum illumination fields are used to sterilize whole rooms of Tangler intrusion.

Victims suffering extreme frustration—misplaced vital tools, repeated “lost” objects—may be advised to undergo Subspace Shadow Hygiene, a meditative technique used by Seekers to deprive Tanglers of the emotional spikes they crave. When the frustration dries up, the Tangler moves on. In severe cases, subspace countermeasures and cleansing rites can banish entrenched infestations. Above all: don’t leave limbs hanging out of blankets in dark rooms. Tanglers find them irresistible.

Utility

Material Uses

Tanglers are frequently harvested for:
• Shadow filament restraints
• Prying charms that slip into hidden spaces
• Creeping-thread traps for low-level Redspace detection
• Emotion-drain fetishes for Kthoniker rituals
• Subspace retrieval experiments (rare and usually disastrous)

Their two-dimensional “root mats,” when properly cured, become pliable null-material sheets used for occult concealment. Most of these uses are illegal or tightly regulated.

Filch

Regular

You attract the attention of a Tangler, directing it toward a single unattended object within 10 yards. In low contamination, the object is dragged to the nearest dark or inaccessible location. In moderate or high contamination, the Tangler may pull the object into subspace, removing it from reality entirely.

Duration: Instantaneous

Cost: 3

Tanglefoot

Area; Resisted by DX

You summon tendrils of a Tangler beneath the ground or flooring. Tendrils exposed to light wither instantly, but unseen tendrils grab at ankles.

Affected targets must make a DX roll each turn or suffer -2 to DX and Move, as though stuck to the ground by cold, writhing hands.

Duration: 1 minute.

Base Cost: 2 (half to maintain).

Prerequisite: Filch.

Tangler’s Restraint

Regular; Resisted by ST or Escape

You pull a Tangler directly into the target’s clothing. Cold, shadowy tendrils fill sleeves, boots, collars, and belts, attempting to bind the victim.

The Tangler restrains with a virtual Grapple skill 14.
This restraint cannot deal HP damage but is extremely unpleasant, cold, and distracting.

Duration: 10 seconds.

Cost: 4 to cast; 2 to maintain.

Prerequisite: Tanglefoot.