Shantak Whistle

Level 13

Source SFAA2

Price 49,000 Bulk L

While the advent of Drift technology has made interstellar travel accessible to the masses, not everyone is comfortable with using starships to travel. Some have philosophical reasons for avoiding subspace, while others take offense at the notion of answering to the whim of a starship captain.

Many have goals among the stars that they prefer not to share with others. Whatever the reason, the opportunity to travel atop a shantak’s slippery back remains the preferred (and perhaps only viable) option for some. A shantak whistle is a sought-after tool for those who wish to find a shantak mount.

Resembling the skull of a shantak but carved from its wing bone, a shantak whistle is a recorder-like instrument with several decorative holes drilled in its length—though only one tone may be produced by blowing into this whistle, and only shantaks can hear the sound. All others hear nothing but the soft rush of breath sweeping through the instrument. When you play a shantak whistle for 1 minute, its song reaches out to the stars, and within 1d6 hours, a single shantak arrives at your location.

Once it arrives, a shantak is under no magical compulsion to serve you, but you gain a +10 circumstance bonus to skill checks to secure the shantak’s service as a mount (at the GM’s discretion, usually requiring Diplomacy or Intimidate) for one Large or smaller creature. Even a shantak compelled to serve as a mount usually refuses to participate in battle and is likely to cooperate only long enough for a one-way trip using its spaceflight ability.

A shantak whistle can be used only once every 2 weeks.