Fire bat

Fire bats were a species of large, bat-like animentals tied to the element of fire.

""Ah, my pretty, is this cold-fleshed one bothering you?""

- The efreeti Arishabakal to her pet fire bat.

Description
The bodies of fire bats roughly had the shape of a normal bat, though they were completely wreathed in fire continuously burning, red flames. Their bodies were in length and had wingspans that measured. Their skin was tough and leathery, with a red-tinge. The toughness of their skin made even their relatively thin wings difficult to cut or pierce through. Their heads had small mouths full of razor-sharp teeth.

The flames that covered their bodies were unbearably hot to other creatures, radiating temperatures of several hundred degrees, and made them look larger than they actually were.

Behavior
Fire bats had a very limited level intelligence, surprisingly greater than that of a mundane bat, and were remarkably cunning when engaging in combat. Being more adapted to flying, they were quite clumsy when walking, walking in a hopping manner.

Fire bats had a fear of water and a fondness for shiny, sparkling objects. Such objects were typically gems and jewelry. They especially loved carnelians, jacinths, and rubies. They would store such objects within their lairs.

Movement
Fire bats propelled themselves by expelling heated gases from tubes within their bodies. The flapping their wings was done to merely steer their path of flight.

Senses
Much like mundane bats, they possessed blindsight and navigated by means of echolocation, emitting high-frequency sound inaudible to most creatures that bounced off walls. Through this they were capable of discerning objects and creatures from up to away. They also had darkvision out to. The vision provided by their eyes was quite weak and only extended out to.

Elemental Nature
Due to their elemental nature, fire bats were incapable of entering any body of water, as well as any liquid that wasn't flammable. Though they could effortlessly glide through lava and magma. It took over to extinguish their flames. This preventing them from flying, though did not harm them in any way.

Reproduction
Fire bats reproduced asexually by a process of fission, splitting themselves into two when properly full of food. When food in an area was very plentiful they could reproduce at a rapid rate. However, once a bat reproduced they could not do so again for up to a year.

Death
Prior to the Time of Troubles, their bodies would become engulfed in flames upon being killed and transported back to their home plane as small balls of fire that eventually regained their true form. This would occur even on their home plane. Following this period, their bodies simply sizzled out gradually upon being killed.

Abilities
Due to their elemental nature, fire bats had regenerative abilities and were impervious to harm from poisons, fire or fire-based spells, and were unaffected by the spell sleep. They also could not be stunned or paralyzed. However, it also meant that their bodies were especially vulnerable to harm from severe cold or cold-based spells.

Combat
Fire bats typically attacked with other members of their colony, hunting in packs. When attacking groups of creatures they would divide their attention among all targets evenly, though they never fought groups larger than their own. If their numbers dwindled during a fight, they were likely to flee and recuperate, planning to attack the same group at a later time if possible.

Fire bats fought by biting at victims, draining their blood while simultaneously imparting damaging fire upon them. Even hitting them with naturally weaponry put one at danger of catching on fire. They tried to swoop down at their enemies, while also doing their best to avoid any opportunity attacks.

Fire bats often attached themselves to a single victim, seeking to eat away at their bodies until their hunger was satiated. They would then attempt to flee the battle in order to digest their meal.

Rumors & Legends
Prior to the Time of Troubles, many were uncertain as to how fire bats made their way to the Prime Material plane. Some speculated that on rare occasions they had hitched a ride with conjured fire elementals. Specifically those conjured by priests and wizards.

Ecology
Fire bats either lived solitarily or in colonies of eleven to twenty members.

Diet
Fire bats were a carnivorous species, though they primarily fed on blood. Individual colonies would try to limit their population to the available food supply of their habitat.

Lairs
These creatures typically laired within rocky, cave-like areas that had many exits but only one noticeable, large entrance. Unlike mundane bats, who tended to be found in darkness, fire bats preferred to live within well-lit areas.

On occasion they would dwell within the body of a fire elemental and feed upon the creatures that they consumed.

Habitats
These creatures were native to the Elemental Plane of Fire, where their population numbers were quite large. Under the World Axis cosmology they were known to inhabit the Elemental Chaos.

Fire bats could occasionally be found on the Prime Material. There they were primarily found in hot locations such as hot springs and volcanoes. One such location was the volcanic caverns of Mount Hotenow.

Relationships
Some creatures were known to domesticate fire bats as pets and guardians, such as azer, efreeti, and salamanders. Spellcasters focused on elemental fire occasionally had them as familiars.

They had good relationships with fire elementals  and were never known to attack them. Though many denizens of their native plane hunted them down in order to control their population from overgrowing. Those who hunted them included efreeti and salamanders.

Usage
Some were known to use the blood of fire bats as an alternative material component to the spell fireball.

Appearances

 * Adventures
 * Neverwinter Campaign Setting
 * Board Games
 * Temple of Elemental Evil