Belker

Belkers were a type of elemental creature of smoke that had an appearance evocative of fiends.

Description
These creatures were primarily composed of smoke and had large black wings that were bat-like, clawed tendrils, and a biting maw. Though their base form was sort of demonic in appearance, they continually shifted and changed shape due to their semi-gaseous nature. On average their smoky bodies were tall.

Abilities
These creatures could at will turn their whole body into a gaseous form, or merely parts of it, though their wings always remained solid no matter what. While in their gaseous form their resistance to magic was doubled and only weaponry with a +1 or greater enchantment could harm them. They were vulnerable to Cold-based spells and abilities. The spell gust of wind would send them flying far away and the spell wind wall entrapped them as if it were hold monster.

No matter what form they took these creatures were impervious to harm from fire and heat, were unaffected by poisons, and could not be paralyzed or petrified.

Their most notable ability was being able to harm other creatures assuming a smoke or mist form, such as vampires.

Combat
These creatures fought by means of their claws and fangs. Their favorite tactic was to assume a gaseous form, engulf their opponents by moving on top of them and filling the air around them, then have their opponent inhale them. Then while they were choking and coughing on the smoke, the belker would make their claws solid inside the creature's body to attack its organs from within.

History
In 1374 DR, belkers were very rarely encountered in the Forest of Amtar.

Society
These creatures were reclusive. They lived a largely solitary existence, only meeting with others of their kind to mate or occasionally to hunt together. They did not raise their young, forcing them to fend for themselves.

Diet
Belkers with a carnivorous species, willing to eat almost anything. On their homeplane they preyed upon smoke mephits and vapor rats.

Homelands
Belkers were native to the Great Conflagration, otherwise known as the Para-elemental Plane of Smoke.

Relationships
Belkers felt hatred towards most all mephits, paraelementals, and other creatures.

Over the years many of the efreet that came to the Great Conflagration tried to conscript belkers into being soldiers in their near endless wars against the djinn. The belkers came to harbor great hatred for the efreet and would side with the djinn whenever they had to choose sides.

Rumors & Legends
Some scholars believed that belkers were related to smoke mephits, a theory that belkers themselves considered to be laughable.