Sandman [Elemental]

A sandman is exactly what its name says: a two-legged, human-shaped figure made of nothing but sand, bound into shape by magic. Sandmen come from the plane of earth, and on the material world they work as slave catchers for the dao, a job their talent for taking prisoners unhurt suits perfectly.

They never speak and know no languages, apparently talking to one another by telepathy, and only the dao seem able to read their thoughts. They do understand what other intelligent beings say, or perhaps think.

Sandmen like to strike from ambush or after dark, when they can slip away from a losing fight. Any creature that comes within 20 feet of one falls asleep regardless of level unless a save vs. spell succeeds; elves have their usual 90% resistance. Anyone who stays awake must save again every time a sandman touches them or they touch it, though hitting it with a weapon does not count.

Once a victim is asleep, the sandman leaves it alone. The sleeper is carried off by sandmen and dao to the slave markets or simply dumped outside their territory. Victims sleep a full three turns, untouched by noise, movement or magic. After that, each turn brings a cumulative 10% chance of waking naturally, while rough handling rouses them on a 95% chance each round. Attacks on a sleeper hit automatically and deal maximum damage for one round, after which it may react normally.

Sandmen naturally have protection from normal missiles; arrows and stones pass right through them and drop to the ground. A slain sandman instantly collapses into dust.

Sandmen attack humans on sight and never check morale. Their hatred stems from human and demihuman wizards who kill them just to use their remains in spellcraft, which is why they always hunt human and demihuman captives for the dao, purely for revenge.

Many sandmen are dao slaves who can earn freedom by delivering replacements to dao nobles. The dao bind them with magic amulets so those sent to the material world for slaves do not just run off. Sandmen fiercely hate their masters, but they hate humans more, considering them weak. They scorn any creature their magic can put to sleep and fear any that resists it.

Sandmen seem to need no food or drink and endure even the cruelest deserts and mines, drawing sustenance from dust, sand and stone. They can starve only if kept aloft for a long time.

Alchemists can turn a dead sandman's dust into sand of truths or a potion of dreaming. Used as the material component of a sleep spell, it doubles the levels or Hit Dice affected. One sandman's dust suffices for a single potion or two spells.