Shocker

Shockers, known approximately as vrrxlzk in their own language, were a type of electrical creature native to the Quasi-Elemental Plane of Lightning. There were two distinct varieties of shocker, known in their own language as contented ones and sojourners.

Description
Shockers were composed entirely of electricity and on their home plane looked to be ball lightning, amorphous masses of energy. The appearance a shocker took when it extended itself on to the Prime Material plane, Ethereal plane, or any other Inner Plane depended upon which type it was. Though both forms typically stood around tall.

Contented ones appeared as bipedal, indistinct humanoids made of bluish electricity and constantly gave off sparks. Sojourners appeared as humanoid suits of armor. This armored was wreathed in constant sparks crackling bursts of blue lightning, which had a flashing affect that appeared to intensify the closer they were to someone. Their armor also was noted as appearing unusual.

Personality
On their homeplane shockers were relatively peaceful and only attacked in self-dense. While on other planes, shockers were very curious and inquisitive. They would take on a chaotic and unpredictable nature in order to test other creatures and study their reactions. And they were unconcerned about dangers, as they could only be killed on their homeplane. Together these factors made shockers often unreliable allies and dangerous to encounter, giving them a bit of an infamous reputation.

Sojourners had a greater desire to explore and go beyond their homeplane than contented ones. They were especially curious about the Prime Material plane, taking any opportunity they could to travel there.

All shockers viewed time as variable&mdash;something that literally sped up or slowed down. Because of this they often had difficulty talking with other races about matters relating to age or the passage of time.

Abilities
All shockers had an innate ability to extend a portion of themselves onto other planes and to discharge electricity, either by touching another creature or by being struck by a hand-held metallic weapon. If this occurred to a contented one while outside of its homeplane, that extended portion of itself would dissipate. Whenever they dissipated, or were slain on another plane, a shocker would leave behind a bit of gray, metallic dust. This occasionally contained a few rare minerals or gemstones.

Shockers were unaffected by poisons, mind-affecting spells like charm, hold monster, and sleep, paralysis effects, and electrical attacks. They also had some resistance to fire-based and cold-based spells and abilities. And they could only be harmed by weapons that had an enchantment of +1 or greater.

Sojourners uniquely had an innately ability to discharge bolts of lightning from their body, similar to the wizard spell chain lightning. These bolts lessened in strength with every creature they jumped between and lowered the sojourner's health. Sojourners were also empowered whenever lightning-based spells or abilities were cast upon them and water cast upon them would increase the intensity of their arcing. In dire situations, a group of sojourners would sometimes sacrifice some of their own strength to empower one or two among them. These augmented versions of sojourners were known as shock troopers.

Combat
Both types of shocker attacked by merely touching their opponents. They fought in a very chaotic and unpredictable manner, frequently changing their choice of target and tactics. Some sages speculated that they did this in order to both confuse their adversaries and study their reactions.

History
It was unknown as to whether a state of contentment with living in their homeplane was the base state of shocker society or something that developed later on.

In the 14 century DR, a shocker was a member of the Mindulgulph Mercenary Company.

Society
These creatures lived in communities within their homeplane.

While on other planes a shocker would spend much of its time studying the native fauna or inhabitants, the environment, and energy patterns that were invisible to other creatures.

Habitats
Though they were native to the Quasi-Elemental Plane of Lightning, sightings of shockers on every known plane; including the city of Sigil and Outer Planes. Extraordinarily rare, this later feat was accomplished by first extending themselves on to the Prime Material plane and then through either a portal or the Astral plane.

Languages
Shockers spoke their own unique language, which was said to be frantic and buzzing. They sometimes learned to speak other languages, though no matter the language they never referred to themselves as "shockers."

Relationships
Shockers were never known to try usurp the authority of the quasi-elementals that dominated their homeplane.

Due to their fascination with the Prime Material, sojourners were often willing to act as guides to those who visited their homeplane.

Usages
The dusty remains of a sojourner could be used in the creation of a wand of lightning. The gemstones that were occasionally found in their remains typically ranged in value from 50 to 1,000 gold pieces. Those gemstones, or the dust left behind by a shocker, could be mixed with the blood of a blue dragon in a broth to enchant its tooth.

Rumors & Legends

 * Inter-planar scholars speculated that shockers spent a great deal of their lives as mere lightning bolts, arcing at the speed of light through their homeplane's infinite expanse.
 * Some speculated that the gemstones that could occasionally be found on the bodies of slain shockers acted as some form of focusing mechanism for their energies.

Trivia

 * There existed spells that could summon shockers, though only a handful of wizards knew them and they were poorly researched. Thus, these spells could equally result in the summoning of either a contented one or a sojourner.
 * Some who knew of shockers, but not the Plane of Lightning, would incorrectly speculate that they came from the Negative Material plane.

Appearances

 * Adventures
 * ''Tales of the Outer Planes