Greater Water Elemental [Dark Sun]

A greater water elemental needs a sizable body of water or other liquid to be summoned, at least 100 cubic feet, which becomes its physical shell. It looks like a great wave with a high crest, with smaller waves curling off its sides for arms. Its whole surface churns like rough water except for two perfectly smooth patches that serve as eyes. It is mute but roars and crashes like breaking surf.

On land it is badly restricted: it can move onto dry ground only while staying within 30 feet of the water it rose from. Within that water, though, it can melt into the body of water and move through it freely, undetectable by normal means; detect magic shows a magical presence in the water. Changing into or out of this state takes one round, and foes it surprises this way take -2 to surprise rolls.

It prefers targets in or on the water, battering them with a wave-arm for 6d6. Against land-bound targets or on dry ground, subtract 1 from each die, minimum 1 per die.

Ships suffer most. It easily flips small boats 10 to 50 feet long and can halt or slow vessels of 50 feet or more. A direct attack on a ship deals 1 structural point per 2 dice, or 3 per attack.

It can also seize a man-sized or smaller target within reach, ashore or on deck, with a successful attack roll and pull it into its body to drown. Each round the victim saves vs. paralysis, taking 2d10 on a failure or 1d10 on a success. Breaking loose takes a Strength check at -6, and the elemental may try to grab its victim again.

Bodies of water big enough to form one are very scarce on the desert world, so greater water elementals are seldom seen there.