Grues are horrible creatures spawned in dark places within the Elemental Planes, the result of the taint of evil magic. Eager to leave their home planes at any opportunity, these creatures are prized by many wizards, for at the heart of each grue lies a pearllike magic object the size of a fi st, each carefully etched with the arcane workings of an elemental spell suitable for copying into a spellbook. This spell object’s origins lie in the grue’s own magical beginning, and is the only thing that remains of the creature if it is slain. See the individual elemental grue descriptions for details.
All four types of grues can be summoned by means of a
summon monster IV spell (the spell acquires the evil descriptor
when so used). Note that summoned creatures return to their home planes if killed on the Material Plane, so a summoned elemental grue slain on the Material Plane leaves no spell object behind.
COMBAT
Each type of grue has its own unique combat abilities and tactics, but all share some qualities. An elemental grue’s natural attacks, as well as any weapons it wields, are treated as evil-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
Spell Disruption (Su): The very presence of an elemental grue interferes with spells that affect the grue’s associated element. Any spellcaster within 40 feet of a chaggrin who casts a spell with the same descriptor as the grue’s element (earth, fi re, air, or water) must succeed on a DC 15 caster level check or have the spell fail. Within the same area of any such spell currently in effect, a grue has a chance to dispel the effect as a free action, as if casting a targeted dispel magic (caster level 10th).
CHAGGRIN (EARTH GRUE)
Medium Elemental (Earth, Evil, Extraplanar) Hit Dice: 3d8+12 (25 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), burrow 20 ft.
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Armor Class: 16 (+6 natural), touch 10, fl at-footed 16 Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+5
Attack: Claw +5 melee (1d6+3) Full Attack: 2 claws +5 melee (1d6+3) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Sneak attack +1d6
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., elemental traits, immu-
nity to acid, spell disruption, tremorsense 30 ft.
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +1, Will +1
Abilities: Str 17, Dex 10, Con 16, Int 5, Wis 11, Cha 8 Skills: Hide +2, Listen +4, Spot +4
Feats: Alertness, Toughness
Environment: Elemental Plane of Earth Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 2
Treasure: Spell object or none Alignment: Always neutral evil
Advancement: 4–6 HD (Medium); 7–9 HD
(Large)
Level Adjustment: —
This strange creature resembles a mole the size of a hog, with long, fi lthy claws and beady, hate-fi lled eyes. It seems to be made of clumped soil and rock.
Chaggrins, or earth grues, are magical corruptions of earth and rock. They are hate- ful and violent creatures that dig and burrow for no other reason than to damage the element that spawned them, but they especially like to slake their dusty thirst with the blood of Material Plane creatures.
An earth grue is about 5 feet long and weighs almost 500 pounds. It can burrow though soil, earth, sand, rub-
ble, or other loose material, but not through solid stone. Its voice sounds like rocks grinding together. Though they speak Terran, chaggrins are not talkative creatures.
To determine the type of spell object contained in an earth grue, roll d%: 01–70, resist energy; 71–100, nondetection.
COMBAT
Chaggrins like to lie buried in the ground, hoping to surprise foes passing overhead.
Sneak Attack (Ex): If a chaggrin can catch an opponent
when he is unable to defend himself effectively from its attack, it can strike a vital spot for extra damage. Basically, the chaggrin’s attack deals extra damage any time its target would be denied a Dexterity bonus to Armor Class (whether
the target actually has a Dexterity bonus or not), or when the chaggrin fl anks its target.
HARGINN (FIRE GRUE)
Medium Elemental (Evil, Extraplanar, Fire) Hit Dice: 3d8+3 (16 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 16 (+3 Dex, +3 natural), touch 13,
fl at-footed 13
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+2
Attack: Slam +5 melee (1d4 plus 1d6 fi re) Full Attack: Slam +5 melee (1d4 plus 1d6
fi re)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Fire spray
Sp ecial Qualities: Blur, darkvision 60
ft., elemental traits, immunity to fi re, spell disruption, vulnerable to cold
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +6, Will +1 Ab ilities: Str 11, Dex 16, Con
12, Int 9, Wis 11, Cha 8
Sk ills: Jump +6, Listen +4,
Spot +4 Feats: Alertness, Weapon Finesse En vironment: Elemental Plane of Fire Or ganization: Solitary Challenge Rating: 2 Tr easure: Spell object or
none
Al ignment: Always neu-
tral evil
Advancement: 4–6 HD
(Medium); 7–9 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: —
A creature of lurid, darting fl ame dances and capers obscenely. Its shape and size are roughly humanoid, but its fea- tures shift and crackle like the leaping fl ames of a bonfi re.
Harginns, or fi re grues, are creatures of living fl ame cor- rupted by dark magic. Like other grues, they are malicious and destructive beings that delight in infl icting pain. Fire grues speak Ignan, their voices rustling and crackling like fl ame as they taunt their foes with cruel jests and hateful laughter. A harginn is about 6 feet tall but weighs only 10 pounds (most of its substance is nothing but fi re).
To determine the type of spell object contained in a fi re grue, roll d%: 01–70, fl aming sphere; 71–100, haste.
COMBAT
Harginns typically rush into melee, counting on their speed and agility to protect them while they battle wildly.
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Fire Spray (Sp): As a standard action, a fi re grue can createa 30-foot cone of fi re, dealing 2d6 points of fi re damage (Refl ex DC 11 half). This ability is the equivalent of a 2nd-level spell.
Blur (Sp): Fire grues naturally fl icker and waver continu-
ously as if under the effect of a blur spell (caster level 10th). They have concealment against all attacks by creatures that rely on sight.
ILDRISS (AIR GRUE)
Medium Elemental (Air, Evil, Extraplanar) Hit Dice: 3d8 (13 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: Fly 40 ft. (perfect) (8 squares)
Armor Class: 16 (+3 Dex, +3 natural), touch 13, fl at-footed
13
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+3 Attack: Slam +5 melee (1d6+1) Full Attack: Slam +5 melee (1d6+1) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: —
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., elemental traits, invis-
ible, immunity to electricity, spell disruption
Saves: Fort +1, Ref +6, Will +1
Abilities: Str 13, Dex 16, Con 10, Int 9, Wis 11, Cha 8 Skills: Listen +4, Move Silently +5, Spot +4
Feats: Alertness, Weapon Finesse Environment: Elemental Plane of Air Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 2
Treasure: Spell object or none Alignment: Always neutral evil
Advancement: 4–6 HD (Medium); 7–9 HD (Large) Level Adjustment: —
Some unseen force seems to hover in the surrounding air. Wild winds whip past, carrying dust, debris, and litter in their wake.
An ildriss, or air grue, is the product of an evil spell corrupt- ing the substance of elemental air. It is a capricious and violent creature that rages constantly against its surroundings, trying its strength against any obstacle in its path or hurling items through the air from sheer spite. It most enjoys venting its anger against any Material Plane creature it encounters. An air grue is normally
invisible, but if ren- dered visible, it appears as a roil- ing cloud of dark vapor, its face marked by angry, ever- changing features. It
speaks Auran, but it is more prone to simply scream in in- choate anger than attempt to communicate. An air grue is about 4 feet in diameter and weighs 10 pounds.
To determine the type of spell object contained in an air grue, roll d%: 01–70, invisibility; 71–100, fl y.
COMBAT
An ildriss uses its speed, maneuverability, and invisibility to best advantage in combat. Air grues like to race through an enemy’s ranks, striking foes at random to cause the most mayhem and uncertainty.
Invisible (Su): Air grues are naturally invisible, gaining
total concealment.
VARDIGG (WATER GRUE)
Medium Elemental (Evil, Extraplanar, Water) Hit Dice: 3d8+6 (19 hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), swim 60 ft.
Armor Class: 14 (+1 Dex, +3 natural), touch 11, fl at-footed
13
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+4 Attack: Slam +4 melee (1d6+3) Full Attack: Slam +4 melee (1d6+3) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Water jet
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., elemental traits,
immunity to cold, spell disruption
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +1
Abilities: Str 14, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 7, Wis 11, Cha 8 Skills: Hide +3, Listen +4, Spot +4, Swim +10 Feats: Alertness, Lightning Refl exes Environment: Elemental Plane of Water Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 2
Treasure: Spell object or none Alignment: Always neutral evil Advancement: 4–6 HD
(Medium); 7–9 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: —
This foul creature resembles a loose, frigid mass of tainted water encased in a dripping membrane. Streams and pseudopods of liquid fl ail away from its shapeless body, while dark malignant eyespots drift across its surface.
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Vardiggs (or water grues) are brutish and cruel creatures created from the corruption of elemental water, and they systematically seek out and attack any other being that enters a body of water they have claimed as their own.
Vardiggs are about 4 feet in diameter and weigh about 400 pounds. When they bother to, they can speak Aquan in thick, burbling voices. To determine the type of spell-object inside a vardigg, roll d%: 01–70, resist energy; 71–100, sleet storm.
COMBAT
Vardiggs usually hide below the surface of a body of water, waiting to attack any who approach.
Water Jet (Sp): As a standard action, a water grue can create a tremendously powerful 30-foot line of water. Any creature in the area of the line takes 2d6 points of damage (Refl ex DC 11 negates). A creature failing the saving throw must succeed on a Strength check or a Balance check (DC 5 + damage dealt) or be knocked prone by the force of the blast. This is the equivalent of a 2nd-level spell.
Skills: A water grue has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim checks to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered, and can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.