The Lightning quasi-elemental were elementals formed from the quasi-element of lightning.[2][1]
Description[]
The lightning quasi-elemental were as all elementals, part of the very plane from which they existed, as such these small elementals were of the very Plane of Lightning[3], a quasi-plane located between the planes of Air and positive energy.[4] The quasi-elementals themselves looked like small floating balls of lighting, with electricity constantly shooting towards the nearest conductor in the area.[1] They were said to lean closer to chaotic than true neutral than every other type of elemental.[1] They where mostly drifting around in groups of 1 to 6,[3] either their home plane, the nearby planes of Air and positive energy or during particularly fierce thunderstorms of the Prime Material.[2][1]
Behavior[]
When no lightning storms were around, the lightning quasi-elementals would float around, seeming to do nothing much at all, but whenever a lightning storm would be near, they would congregate to it and assemble in what were called electric conflagrations by outsiders.[1] While no-one knew for sure it was theorized that they either reproduced, fed on the great energies, or exchanged information in these electric loaded masses, although no signs of organization where ever present between the different elementals.[1] In addition to normal movement they could leap up to 60 yd (55 m) to any metallic or grounded object with a mass of more than 5 lb (2.3 kg).[1]
Combat[]
In combat the lightning quasi-elemental, would use its leaping ability to charge around the battlefield, discharge electrical power by touch, and disgorge a small globe of ball lightning every few seconds that would linger from half to more than a minute, depending on the strength of the lightning quasi-elemental, and would drift near the elemental.[2][1] Whenever a significant amount of metal, such as armour, or a creature of more than 200 lb (91 kg) came near, the globe would drift into the target and discharge itself, giving the poor sod no ability to negate the electric shock.[1][2] Only enchanted weapons could hope to damage the lightning quasi-elemental, and even then any melleé weapons of conductive materials such as metal would be shocked right back trough their own weapons.[2][1] The elemental itself was immune to lightning and electrical attacks, while those of fire and acid would only do half damage to it. Water and ice however would severely damage it, and even common rain could whittle it down rather quickly.[2]
Ecology[]
Three "tiers" of lightning quasi-elementals seemed to exist, with the higher more powerful ones looking exactly like their lesser kin, such that those who encountered them never new just how powerful they were until they decided to provoke the elemental.[2] Feeding on energy, the elementals who found themselves outside their native quasi-elemental plane, would seek energy sources, most commonly lightning storms to feed upon.[1] While no real hierarchy seemed to exists within the lightning quasi-elementals themselves, the native Shockers would almost always suborn themselves under the command of the smarter, more powerful lightning quasi-elementals whenever the need arose.[1]
History[]
Several powerful mages had found these creatures very useful as power sources for their more ex exotic artifacts.[3]
A few lightning quasi-elementals show up not far from Ravens Bluff entangled with the Mind flayers of Nar'Vheen.[5]
Appendix[]
See Also[]
Radiance quasi-elemental whom where sometimes mistaken for Lightning quasi-elemental as they too looked like balls of energy though without the crackling energy arcs.[6]
Appearances[]
Organized Play & Licensed Adventures
References[]
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 Monte Cook, ed. (1998). Monstrous Compendium Planescape Appendix III. Edited by Michele Carter and Ray Vallese. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 82–83. ISBN 0-7869-0751-7.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 Gary Gygax (August 1983). Monster Manual II 1st edition. (TSR, Inc), p. 103. ISBN 0-88038-031-4.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Jeff Grubb (September 1987). “Plane Speaking: The (Positive) Quasi-Elementals!”. In Roger E. Moore ed. Dragon #125 (TSR, Inc.), pp. 68–69.
- ↑ Monte Cook and William W. Connors (December 7, 1998). The Inner Planes. Edited by Michele Carter and Ray Vallese. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 92–95. ISBN 0-7869-0736-3.
- ↑ Jeffrey Morrison (1999). A Meeting of Brains, Living City scenario 382 HUD part 9, Knight Games p.22
- ↑ Monte Cook, ed. (1998). Monstrous Compendium Planescape Appendix III. Edited by Michele Carter and Ray Vallese. (TSR, Inc.), p. 84. ISBN 0-7869-0751-7.