Number Appearing: 5-40
Armor Class: 6
Movement: 6”//24”
Hit Dice: 1
THACO 17
Number of Attacks: 1 weapon
Damage per Attack 1-4
Special Attacks: Spell use
Special Defenses: Nil
Magic Resistance: 5%
Size: Tiny (2” tall)
Morale: Steady (14)
Experience value: 20 + l/hp

Sea sprites are reclusive creatures, similar in many ways
to their land-dwelling cousins. They’re implacable enemies
of creatures who would destroy the delicate ecology of their
coral reef environment.

Physical Appearance: Sea sprites look like tiny
human figures no more than two feet tall. They have no
wings, but show delicate webbing between their fingers
and toes. Their skin is delicate and pale, sometimes with a
slight bluish tinge. Their hair--which they usually wear
long-is bright green. The creatures usually wear jerkins
made from eel-skin or other soft and supple materials.
They commonly seek skins in bright marine colors: blues,
greens and aquamarines. They often wear ornaments finely
crafted from precious metals. Females are slightly
smaller and more delicately built than males.

Sea sprites are armed with tiny but wickedly sharp
swords, and there’s a 50% chance one will be carrying a
light crossbow that operates with full effectiveness under
water as well as above. (These weapons are much too tiny
for humans or demihumans-even halflings-to use.)

Sprites are able to become invisible at will (opponents
strike at -4). They detect good/evil at up to 50 yards.

Combat: Sea sprites are reclusive, and engage in face-to-
face combat only if there’s no other option. They prefer to
attack from ambush, using their light crossbows. The bolts
are tipped with a potion which causes any creature struck
to save versus poison or sleep for 1-6 hours in a comatose
state-this can have lethal consequences for creatures that
must surface to breath air. Sea sprites generally slay evil
creatures, removing neutral or good ones to a locale well
away from where they encountered the sprites. Usually,
air-breathing creatures are left above the surface, on a
nearby deserted shore, for example. The sprites don’t usually
concern themselves with what happens to the sleeping
creatures afterwards.

Sea sprites often use other marine creatures as pack animals
and guards. A group of sea sprites is 45% likely to be
accompanied by 1-6 carnivorous fish such as barracuda or
quippers.

A sea sprite can endow 2-5 turns of water breathing by
touch. A sprite can also cast airy water once per day at the
loth level of ability, and slow (by touch) three times per day
at the 5th level of ability.

Habitat/Society: Sea sprites live among the coral reefs
and warm shallows of the Densac Gulf, the Tilva Strait,
and waters south. They can breathe equally well above or
below water, although they much prefer a submarine existence,
and rarely venture onto land. They’re joyful creatures,
loving to frolic among the brilliant fish that inhabit
their home waters. They can flash through the water so
quickly that they can catch and pet the fastest of the reef
fishes.

They hunt fish with their crossbows, but kill only to eat,
and are very selective in their hunting. Fish husbandry is
is practiced so they never deplete the fish population. They
respect-and are respected by-fishermen who take only
enough to feed their people: That’s the way of the sea. Sea
sprites dislike people who kill too many fish, or those who
fish for sport. They feel strong enmity towards those who
despoil the coral oceans, and are likely to take action
against them.

Sea sprites live in family groups, and dwell in natural
coral caves, or in the hulks of ships that foundered on the
reefs. The family is led by the oldest male, but the senior
female acts as his advisor, and is often the “power behind
the throne.” They believe that any wealth that the sea
takes (in the form of sunken treasure) should remain with
the sea, and thus oppose treasure hunters and those who
would salvage wrecked vessels.

Sea sprites speak their own language, and 50% of them
are conversant in the common tongue. They can also communicate
on a rudimentary level with the more intelligent
denizens of the deep. They’re great believers in a balanced
ecology, and so have no antipathy towards sharks and other
predators. They have hatred only towards the more evil
and cx+el ocean dwellers, particularly sahuagin and their
ilk (who they attack on sight).

Niche: Sea sprites are at the top of the coral reef food
chain. Their only natural enemies are sahuagin, but their
speed and the accuracy of their crossbows make them difficult
prey. They’re on friendly terms with aquatic elves, and
sometimes trade with them, although the two races never
live together.