Varrdig [Elemental Grue]

A varrdig can pass for a fountain, a puddle or pool, or a patch of a larger body of water, though an alert observer may notice its faint green tint. Its real body is a round, gelatinous, see-through blob ringed below with little clawed legs, with flexible pipe-like tubes jutting from its middle. In water, these tubes shoot out jets that drive it along.

On land a varrdig is slow and fights by spraying water. The jet is strong enough to blind a target up to 6 feet away; an alert, moving foe is blinded for 1-4 rounds only on a roll of 1 on 1d6. The blast also deals 1-4 stunning damage, and anyone brought to 0 hit points this way is knocked out. A helpless air-breather can be drowned in one round simply by pushing a tube into its nostril.

In the water it moves with a speed nobody expects from such an ungainly thing, ramming its whole body into a foe for 4-16 and always following with a second ram, for two attacks per round.

Water magic fails against it: part water, ice storm, purify water, water breathing, create water, obscurement, wall of ice, lower water, purify food and drink, airy water and create food and water all have no effect. When such an enchantment comes within 30 feet of a varrdig it is dispelled, permanent or not, but magical items are unaffected.

Three varrdigs can merge over 1-3 rounds into a three-lobed shape like a snowman and then act as one creature. The triad has the combined hit points of all three, a THAC0 of 5 and Champion morale (15-16), and its pooled jets carry it along smoothly. The middle lobe, sprouting odd cilia and stalks, seems to hold whatever senses it has, and the top grows 3-6 tubes. Out of water, each tube can fire a 10-foot stream at its own target, up to six per round, dealing 1-6 stunning damage with the usual chance to blind. Beneath the surface it instead delivers one ram for 4d6 (4-24).

Varrdigs usually travel in threes so they can fuse when a dangerous threat appears. No one knows whether only such trios can fuse or whether others can join, and the merging may be a religious rite as well as a way to hunt and defend. A triad stakes out territory and defends it against all comers until its huge appetite empties the area, then moves on to fresh water.

Varrdigs are scavengers but readily kill weak, sick or aged creatures they come across. Marids wipe them out whenever the two meet, yet varrdigs are friendly with the other races of the water plane and with creatures such as sahuagin and the evil ray-folk of the deep.