Firetail

Firetails were creatures of living flame.

Description
There were two types of firetails, lesser firetails and greater firetails, which were also called tshala. They both were identical in appearance, expect greater firetails were longer. Firetails looked like a fey-type creature made of dancing, living flames.

Abilities
Greater firetails had the innate ability to duplicate the effects of feeblemind, fire trap, heal, maze, plane shift and remove curse spells once per day, and fireball several times a day. Greater firetails were capable of plane shifting themselves and a small group of lesser firetails. Both types of firetails were immune to all fire and heat-based effects and spells, and were vulnerable to cold and water-based effects and spells.

Combat
Firetails were formidable opponents in battle. Their flame is hot enough to cause severe burns and could ignite most flammable materials such as clothing. A firetail could temporarily cause a dramatic increase in their temperature, becoming a blazing hot flame. It could only do this a few times a day, and left then drained.

Society
Firetails had a unique form of communication. The firetail language was based on the shifting hues and patterns of their flames.

Habitat
Firetails originated from the Elemental Plane of Fire. Through plane shifting, firetails could be encountered across the Prime Material plane, including Toril.

Ecology
Most firetails were born as lesser firetails, only rarely were greater firetails were born. A lesser firetail may gradually become a greater firetails as they aged and gained life experience. Once it reached about 200 years of age, a lesser firetail may seclude itself near a source of intense heat, such in a cave with a lava pool. Once ready, the lesser firetail began to absorb energy from the heat source continuously for up to a week. Once this process was complete, the lesser firetail became a greater firetail.

Once a firetail reached 400 years in age, they were able to reproduce. Firetails reproduced somewhat asexually. This process involved the firetail gathering flammable materials, being careful not to ignite them prematurely. This continued until the firetail has up to four large piles of materials. The piles were ignited and left to burn, and eventually the firetail exploded. Each pile of material then began burning intensely, and after about an hour, a firetail was born from each pile.

Relationships
Firetails loathed salamanders and attacked them on sight. They had a neutral relationship with fire elementals, both parties simply ignoring the other. Generally, firetails were solitary creatures and choose the company of other firetails over that of other creatures. However, firetails have been known to become companions with other creatures, such as elves, humans, pegasi and sylphs.