Rust Fiend

Description

This bizarre creature has a powerful, humped body with a pair of underdeveloped wings folded across its back. It has an insect-like carapace and armored limbs with a dark hue that is tinged with blue. A long, bony tail ends in a paddle, a pair of feathered antennae, and it has powerfully clawed feet.

Born of an unholy union between a blue dragon and common rust monster, no one quite knows who, where or when this bizarre creature was first created and loosed upon the world. They appear as a darker-colored, slightly bluish and more muscular rust monster whose legs have grown terrible claws. Folded across their back are a pair of under-developed wings that they open to intimidate their foes. Since they are more intelligent than a typical rust monster, they sometimes try to trade information for food.

Rust fiends usually speak draconic. Those kept as guardians often speak common as well.

Combat

Like their more mundane cousins, rust fiends attack hoping to turn large pieces of metal into tasty, corroded tidbits for them to devour. They particularly enjoy the taste of mithral, but despise the flavor of copper and copper alloys (such as brass and bronze). A rust fiend will typically use its breath weapon at the earliest opportunity.

A rust fiend can scent a metal object from up to 90 feet away. Once detected, it typically rushes in the direction of the source and seeks to strike it with the antennae. Its hunger is insatiable, and it will chase individuals for long distances if they still possess intact metal objects. However it will cease its attacks to devour a freshly rusted meal.

When a variety of metal sources are available, it will target the largest metal object available, striking first at armor, then at shields and smaller items. It prefers steel or iron over other metals, but will devour the latter if given the opportunity.

Rust (Ex): A rust fiend that makes a successful touch attack with its antennae causes the target metal to corrode, falling to pieces and becoming useless immediately. The touch can destroy up to a 10-foot cube of metal instantly. Magic armor and weapons, and other magic items made of metal, must succeed on a DC 18 Reflex save or be dissolved. The save DC is Constitution-based and includes a +4 racial bonus.

A metal weapon that deals damage to a rust fiend corrodes immediately. Wooden, stone, and other nonmetallic weapons are unaffected.

Breath Weapon (Su): Once per day, a rust fiend can issue forth a bolt of electricity five feet wide and 60 feet long that deals 6d8 points of damage (Reflex DC 14 half). The save DC is Constitution-based.

Advanced Benefits

This creature was formed by applying the half-blue dragon template to a rust monster. To advance the creature, first advance the rust monster and then reapply the template. In addition to the standard changes due to Hit Dice advancement, rust fiends also gain the following special benefits.

• The save DC of the rust is equal to 14 + ½ HD + Constitution modifier.
• The save DC of the breath weapon is equal to 10 + ½ HD + Constitution modifier.
• 7–13 HD ― +2 racial bonus on Survival checks when tracking metal by scent.
• 9+ HD ― Fly at a speed of 20 feet with poor maneuverability.
• 12+ HD ― Gain Blindsense (Ex): The rust fiend notices and locates creatures within 30 feet. Opponents still have 100% concealment against a creature with blindsense.
• 14+ HD ― +4 racial bonus on Survival checks when tracking metal by scent.

Also in this section of the source

Sandlings

Sandlings are elemental creatures that are entirely composed of fine sand. They dwell in arid, desert regions where they take possession of a region and defy entry to rival creatures. The motivations and goals of a sandling are mysterious to most sentient beings.

Combat

Due to their territorial nature they are aggressive about protecting their region of sand. They move without hindrance across the desert and are especially difficult to contain or damage due to their sandy forms. Their primary attack is a slam which inflicts damage through bulk and force. However a creature struck by a sandling can also be blinded by fine sand.

The shifting, homogenous nature of this being makes it difficult to harm without suitable magic. It is, however, highly vulnerable to moisture, which slows it down and prevents the sand lord from using its dust form.

Blind (Ex): A creature struck by a sandling's slam attack must succeed on a Reflex save or be blinded for 1d6 rounds. The save DC is Constitution-based, and is equal to 10 + ½ HD + Constitution modifier.

Dust Form (Ex): When the sandling is moving across the ground, it can transform into a swirling cloud of sand and dust as a free action. The cloud is 5 feet wide and up to 15 feet in height, and can move at the sand lord's normal speed. At the end of each movement the sandling coalesces back into a solid form once more. It is otherwise similar to the gaseous form spell (caster level 6th).

Sand Glide (Ex): A sandling can glide through sand as easily as a snake moves through grass. Its burrowing leaves behind no tunnel or hole, and creates only a barely noticeable ripple accompanied by a faint sound of shifting sound as it advances.

Vulnerability to Water (Ex): When a sandling is drenched in water, it is unable to assume its dust form and is automatically slowed as the slow spell. A mist or fog is insufficient to slow a sandling, but such will prevent the creature from advancing in its dust form.

Skills: *Sandling's have a +8 racial bonus on Hide checks on sandy ground.

Sand Lord

Author: Robert J. Hall.

Rising from the ground is a hulking figure with the coarse, overall shape of a monstrous beast, although the features are quite indistinct and continually shedding sand. What appears to be a head lifts up, revealing wide, pit-like eyes and a large, gaping jaw.

This elemental creature is composed entirely of dry, desert sand. It can assume any form, but frequently appears either in a humanoid shape or with the overall features of a large cat. Whenever it moves across the ground, the body dissolves into a swirling, cloudy vortex that shifts and dances above the surface like a dust devil. It then coalesces back into a more solid form whenever the sand lord to remain stationary or perform a physical activity.

When it needs to rest, the sand lord collapses into a mound of sand that is all but indistinguishable from the surrounding desert. These piles are unusually cohesive, however, and marks left in the surface will quickly be submerged by flowing sand.

A sand lord is found only in dry, sandy desert regions, particularly in locales where once stood a city or town that has long since been swallowed by the sands. This being possesses no solid dwelling place or physical goods, and is content merely to travel about its chosen territory.

The motivations and goals of a sand lord are mysterious to most sentient beings, and most of the time it is content to travel hither and yon avoiding the company of creatures such as humans. Occasionally, however, a sand lord becomes possessed of a terrible anger that drives it to obliterate all living beings that enter its land. For this reason it is wise to leave this creature well enough alone, and circumvent its territory when possible.

Combat

The sand lord attacks from close range, slamming its opponent with its limbs, using the heavy sand to deliver a powerful blow.

Blind (Ex): The save DC is 15.

Advanced Benefits

In addition to the standard changes due to Hit Dice advancement, sand lords also gain the following special benefits.

• The natural armor equals HD + 2.
• 9+ HD ― Damage reduction improves to 10/magic.