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FREQUENCY: Very rare
FREQUENCY: Very rare ([Dungeon Level VI])
FREQUENCY: Very rare ([Ethereal Plane])

NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: 3 (6)
MOVE: 15" (18")
HIT DICE: 5+1
% IN LAIR: Nil (100%)
TREASURE TYPE: Various discharged magical items, mostly useless.
NO. OF ATTACKS: 2
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2-5/2-5
SPECIAL ATTACKS: [SB]
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Silver or magical weapons required to hit
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 50%
INTELLIGENCE: Low average
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
SIZE: S (4' tall)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
    Attack/Defense Modes: Nil
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: VI | 575 + 6

The Terithran is a creature of the Ethereal Plane -a short (4'tall) biped
with long sinewy arms and an unusually large misshapen head. When
on the Prime Material Plane it has a faint, shadowy appearance
(though not so faint as a non-corporeal monster) which gives it AC3,
though its actual AC is 6. Figures in parentheses above refer to characteristics
on the Ethereal Plane.

In normal melee the creature fights with two claws for 2-5 hit points
of damage each, but it will try to avoid this type of fighting if possible
so as to make full use of i t s unique magical powers.

The terithran has come to dislike the swirls, eddies and warps which
the use of large amounts of magic on the Prime Material Plane causes
on the €thereal Plane, its homeland (where it is never found out of its
lair). If it notices such disturbances, it will materialise in the area of
the magic-user responsible on the Prime Material Plane (1'-10' away
from him) and attempt to drain his power and take him back to the
Ethereal Plane for punishment. It will only appear when magic is
being used, and then only if the magic is powerful enough. Clerical or
druidic magic will not attract it, but magic cast by a magic-user or
illusionist will (as could magic-user spells cast by a high level ranger).

Generally speaking, the use of a single spell will not attract the
attention of a terithran unless the spell is of high level. Use of an 8th
level magicuser spell has a 20% chance of attracting its attention, a
9th level spell 30% (a 6th level illusionist spell has a 10% chance, a 7th
level spell 20%). Continual use of lower-level magic may attract it,
however; if a total of 16 or more spell-levels of magic-user spells (or
13 of illusionist spells) have been used in successive melee rounds,
even if no high-level spells have been involved, there is a 65% chance
that a terithran has been attracted. Similarly, three consecutive uses
of a magic item (such as a wand of cold) has the same chance of attracting
it. Note that the spells need not have been cast by the same
person; the requirement is fulfilled if all the spells have effect in the
same 60'x60' area, though if more than one person has been involved
in the magic-use, the terithran will appear half-way between them.

Note that spell-use by monsters will attract the terithran in the same
way, and with the same chance, as spell-use by characters.

The terithran is 50% magic resistant on either Plane and also has a
number of innate magical powers and one innate magical ability. The
ability is detect mqic and it has unlimited use of this. Its magical
powers are:

Stunning blast: a charge of ethereal waves with the effect of apower
    word: stun on all creatures within a IO' radius; a saving throw
    against magic negates the effect.

Drain power: this power removes all magic ability from a magic-user
    (or illusionist or ranger) until an appropriate regenerative time
    has passed - treat as though the spellcaster had used up all his
    spells; a successful save as against breath weapons will negate
    &is effect.

Cause serious wounds: as the clerical spell, activated by touch (a
    normal attack roll is required); there is no saving throw.

Transportation: this permits the terithran to transport itself and one
    other person (the offending spelluser) back to the Ethereal
    Plane; the victim must first be grasped (treat as a normal hit with
    two claws - if one or both score a 'hit' the victim has been
    grasped) but there is no saving throw.

While on the Prime Material Plane the terithran is limited to 6 poweruses
per day. While in an encounter, therefore, it will have as its prime
objective the grasping of the target spell-user and his transportation
back to the Ethereal Plane; it will thus reserve one power-use for
transportation, either with a victim or, 'if it fails to grasp and the
melee is going against it, alone in escape. However it will use other
powers (up to a maximum of 5 usages) to defend itself, to get to its
intended victim and so forth.

Note that the touch of the terithran does not automatically cause
serious wounds; this is only the case if the creature is using that particular
power in that melee round (though if it is, the claw damage
also applies).

If the creature is encountered (in its lair) on the Ethereal Plane, its
claws do 2-9 hit points of damage each, it can have 16 power-uses
per day and the power of stunnhg blast inflicts 2-7 8sided dice of
damage.

On the Prime Material Plane the terithran can only be hit by silver or
magical weapons.
 

by Ronald Hall