Garnamond

Description

What at first glance appears to be a massive cluster of clear quartz crystal is actually a creature with a roughly humanoid form, including two heavy, arm-like limbs. A single gold-hued crystal sits in the center of a head-like bulge.

Originating from the mineral plane, these beings are the ever-patient and resolute guardians of particularly beautiful underground caverns. They rest stoically year after year, warding magnificent rock gardens, beautiful limestone deposits, or other underground wonders.

A garnamond is an almost amorphous being composed entirely of crystal. In their contemplative mode these mineral creatures resemble a large cluster of clear quartz. The sole exception is a single, fist-sized golden gem in the upper part that appears as if it had been cut by a master artisan.

Garnamond move about and manipulate their environment by the rapid growth and shrinkage of their collective crystalline body, reshaping themselves into the appropriate form needed for the current purpose. Thus they can reshape themselves into the crude form of any creature or formation they desire. As they move about and reshape themselves, the collective reforming of the crystals creates a steady and almost-pleasing tinkling sound.

Their crystalline body is normally clear white in hue, save for their large, golden eye. However their color quickly changes with shifts in mood, ranging from an angry red to a blissful deep blue.

Combat

While tolerant and even nonchalant about their sanctum, the garnamond takes its charge very seriously. Those individuals who appear ready to mar the environment or attack the body of the garnamond will be quickly warned away by menacing postures and a crunching growl. Ignoring these warnings will bring down the full wrath of this mineral guardian.

The garnamond is sufficiently intelligent that it can discern which members of a group are threats to the cavern, and which are merely protecting themselves. The later will normally be given an opportunity to withdraw from the conflict, after the violators have been dealt with.

The body of the garnamond is exceptionally hard and resilient, allowing it to withstand all but the most powerful blows. It is also quite powerful and can bludgeon or knock down an opponent with appendages it creates for this purpose. The amorphous body of the garnamond allows it to wrap parts of itself around the limbs or weapons of an opponent, locking them tightly in place. The garnamond is not especially quick or agile, however, and moves with a slow, lumbering gait.

If the normal attacks of the garnamond fail in their purpose, it can resort to more extreme methods. It can sacrifice a portion of its body to produce a breath weapon consisting of many tiny fragments of razor sharp crystal.

Breath Weapon (Ex): 60-foot cone, once per three rounds, 4d6 laceration damage, DC 16 Reflex half. The save DC is Constitution-based. The garnamond takes 3d6 damage whenever it uses its breath weapon.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, the garnamond must hit with its slam attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity.

Garnamond Society

The garnamond is normally kindly and even slightly trusting by nature and does not view intrusions to its home with great suspicion. Indeed they take a distinct pleasure at seeing visitors enjoy the vista of their cavern and will even come to their aid if they are attacked by foul beings. Those who are familiar with a garnamond lair will often stop there during their travels, as they know they will be afforded significant protection while they rest.

Garnamond are capable of speaking after a fashion, although the words sound like the constant crunching of broken glass and can be difficult to understand. They can learn most languages and can master some lore, although it would require a patient teacher since they study at a painfully slow rate. They are extremely long-lived, however, and thus may have accumulated many unusual facts over the centuries.

As their primary duty is to the underground cavern that they ward, a garnamond will not typically be found wandering around in the underdark. However they are not overly zealous about their charge and will allow anybody to enter their domain and marvel at the wonders to be seen.

As it approaches death, the garnamond will shatter itself into many tiny wriggling crystal larvae that scatter into the surrounding rock. These seek a partner crystalline larvae to merge with and form a new garnamond body. The crystalline larvae spawned by a dying garnamond can each merge with a seed from another garnamond to grow into a new adult garnamond within one decade. This new garnamond retains a portion of the memories of each branch of its ancestry, going back many generations.