Strange Ox

The Strange Ox is a mysterious ox first encountered in the Emerald Grove in Act One.
==Involvement==
=== Act One ===
Walking past the Strange Ox prompts a to notice its odd behavior. A character who passes the check can talk to the Strange Ox via or and make a to investigate further. Passing this check confirms the creature is not what it appears to be.
The party must successfully pass a , , or to pressure the Ox into revealing its secret. On success, the Ox tells the party that it is heading to Baldur's Gate but refuses to elaborate further.
Attacking the Strange Ox in Act One causes its caretaker, , and neighboring oxen to become hostile. The ox drops pools of when damaged. On death, it drops a that immediately explodes for damage.
If completing and attacking the refugees, the Strange Ox disappears with the other oxen when the grove prepares for the siege, and can be encountered later on.
=== Act Two ===
Walking towards the Strange Ox in the stables of the Last Light Inn prompts a to recall whether the player character has seen it before. Passing this check is not necessary to talk to the Strange Ox. With , the party can continue the conversation from the Emerald Grove. Regardless, the interacting party member must pass a to continue.
On success, the Ox telepathically shows images of disfigured corpses with the sound of screaming in the background. Failing the check causes the conversation to end, but it is still possible to continue speaking with the Ox, essentially skipping the check.
Pressuring it to reveal its true identity results in the Ox threatening the party. The conversation can either end here or the interacting party member can continue asking questions. Questioning the Ox further causes it to deform into a cyan Phasm Ooze and enter combat with the party . Before doing so, it tells the player character that it was seeking a simple life of hay and a clean stable to live in. Alternatively, telling the creature its secrets are safe ends the conversation peacefully ( ).
The Dark Urge may relate to the ox's revelations and can tell it about their own murderous nature, to which it remarks they may be a kindred spirit, but it only wishes to be an ox. The player character can either respect or chastise it for not giving in to its bloodlust - the latter option causes the Dark Urge to brutally attack the creature mid-dialogue, killing it without initiating combat as it struggles to retain its ox form until the very end.
Alternatively, The Dark Urge can, after sharing its violent visions, choose to respect its wishes by answering, "I don't care what you might be behind it all; you're an ox to me." The Strange Ox responds to the Urge's discretion by regurgitating an as a gift. 
=== Act Three ===
If the Strange Ox survives into Act Three, it can be encountered in Rivington at on a hill west of the requisitioned barn. Approaching it triggers a check to confirm its likeness. This time, the Ox is glad to see the party. It was worried about the party's mental health since the previous encounter, but perhaps it is just faking it because it needs something from them.
As previously, the Ox can be questioned about its true nature and, like before, doing so causes it to deform into his natural shape and become hostile. Any other conversation path leads to initiating . If deciding to help, it turns into an apple on the stable floor that can be picked up. The moment the party enter the Lower City with it inside a party member's inventory, the quest ends and it disappears, leaving behind his and a . If entering the Lower City before speaking to the Ox, it disappears and the quest cannot be started. If the quest was not previously started, the Ox cannot be recruited for .
Completing allows the party to summon it using a during . It reveals its true form as Phasm, a type of Ooze with a true form similar to an Ochre Jelly which can shapeshift into different monsters with unique abilities during combat.
== Combat ==
=== Attacks and abilities (Act 2) ===
=== Attacks and abilities (Act 3) ===
=== Notable loot ===
* (only if killed in Act Two or Act Three)
* (if killed or traded with in any Act or as a reward in Act Three)
== Related literature ==
* 
== Notes ==
Category:Characters
Category:Characters in the Emerald Grove
Category:Characters in the Shadow-Cursed Lands
Category:Characters in Rivington
Category:Characters in Act One
Category:Characters in Act Two
Category:Characters in Act Three
Category:Beasts
Category:Oozes
Category:Attached Followers