Fire Kin [Elemental]

Salamanders hail from the plane of fire and flourish in heat. These vicious, evil beings visit the material world for their own unknown reasons, though rumor says mighty wizards and priests of certain faiths can call them briefly.

A salamander has a humanlike, copper-hued head and upper body; 80% of the time this half is male, with a blazing beard and mustache, while the female has long, fiery red hair. Both have glowing yellow eyes that occasionally flash bright green, and both carry a gleaming metal spear that looks like polished steel. Below the waist the body is a great serpent, orange fading to dull red toward the tail, and the whole creature is covered in wispy tendrils that seem to burn without ever being consumed.

Its spear deals 1d6 points of damage plus another 1d6 from heat. In the same round it can wrap its tail around a foe and squeeze for 2d6 crushing damage, with its body's heat adding 1d6 more. Fire-resistant creatures ignore the heat damage but still suffer the spear and crushing damage. When fighting near a lava pit or blazing fire, a salamander likes to seize enemies and fling them into the flames, adding the fire's damage to its own.

Only magical weapons, magical creatures, or creatures of 4+1 Hit Dice or more can harm it. Fire-based attacks cannot, and sleep, charm and hold spells fail against it. Cold-based attacks deal it 1 extra point of damage per die. Its head and upper body are AC 5, its serpent half AC 3.

Salamanders hate cold, favor heat of 300 degrees and up, and tolerate anything cooler for just a few hours at a stretch. Lairs run at least 500 degrees, so any treasure is the kind that survives such heat, such as gems, swords, armor, rods and other iron goods; wood, parchment, liquids, and soft metals like gold and silver are never found there. Mean-spirited and evil, they respect only power, either the strength to withstand their fire or the ability to deal serious harm. Everyone else dies slowly and painfully in flame. They are rumored to have dealings with the efreet.

On the material world they can be found playing in lava flows, burning forests, fire pits and similar infernos. They usually come with a purpose and react badly to interruptions. Alchemists brew potions of fire resistance from salamander ichor, and smiths can forge rings of fire resistance from the metal of a salamander's spear.

Some sages believe fire snakes are larval salamanders. Colored from blood red to orange, they always live in fire: a large permanent blaze may hold 1d6, while a small temporary one such as an oil bowl or fire pit usually holds just one. Their only treasure is the gems they often collect. Their coloring blends with the flames, so opponents suffer a -4 penalty to surprise rolls. A fire snake's bite deals 1d4 points of damage and carries a mild venom; the victim must save vs. poison or be paralyzed for 2d4 turns.