The elemental planes have their own
native lifeforms, like any other plane of
existence. In addition to the creatures that
live in the environments of those planes
(such as xorn, wind walkers, marids, and
azer), there are living embodiments of the
planes themselves. These ?true elementals?
are the creatures that are summoned and
enslaved by magic-user and druid spells to
serve mankind. The earth elemental is no
mere duplicate of an earthly beast nor a
native of the Plane of Earth, but a part of
that plane, gifted with intelligence and
able to roam wild over the planar terrain
unless brought into service by spells.

I mention this to separate the creatures
who live in the elemental planes from
creatures of the elemental planes. The
xorn lives in the Plane of Earth; the earth
elemental is a part of that plane. This
explains the apparent difference in abilities
of these creatures when encountered
in the Prime Material plane. The earth
elemental of the Monster Manual lacks the
xorn?s molecular adjustment ability, for
example.

Some of the creatures of the elemental
planes are explained elsewhere. The elementals
themselves are detailed in the
Monster Manual, while all of the paraelementals
are covered in Monster Manual
II. The quasi-elemental planes, however,
have a single representative noted -- the
lightning quasi-elemental. The other seven
quasi-elementals will be covered here in
two parts. This first part will discuss
beings of the other three quasi-elemental
planes which exist on the border between
the elemental planes and the Positive
Material plane -- steam, radiance, and
minerals. A second article will cover creatures
of quasi-elemental planes that border
the Negative Material plane -- dust,
ash, vacuum, and salt.

These creatures are the "pure" elemental
forces of their planes. Creatures as
detailed in Manual of the Planes do live
there, with the special abilities as noted in
Appendix II. These, though, are the living
embodiments of those planes.

Quasi-elementals may be rarely found in
the Prime Material plane, but they appear
with common frequency in the inner
planes, particularly in their native quasielemental
planes and in the elemental
planes adjacent to their home planes. It
has been surmised that these creatures
have the ability to withstand the effects of
the Positive and Negative Material plane,
though this is unproven. Each quasielemental
may be of small, medium, or
large size. The size of a quasi-elemental
depends on where it is found:
 

1d100	Prime Material dimension	Inner dimension
01-60	Small	Large
61-90	Medium	Medium
91-00	Large	Small

Lightning quasi-elementals have been
covered in Monster Manual II (page 103).
In the Plane of Lightning, these creatures
are common and appear in numbers of
1-6. Also, several of the more powerful
mages have found a use for these creatures
as the power source for their exotic
artifacts.

[The rings of quasi-elemental command
from DRAGON® issue #120, pages 33-34,
would be especially useful with these
creatures.]

FREQUENCY: Very rare
NO. APPEARING: 1 (1-6)
ARMOR CLASS: 0
MOVE: 48”
HIT DICE: 6, 9, or 12
% IN LAIR: Nil
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-3 + 1 hp/HD
SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: See below
INTELLIGENCE: Low
ALIGNMENT: Neutral (chaotic)
SIZE: S
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
LEVEL/XP VALUE: VII/1,000 + 15/per hp

Radiance quasi-elementals look like
rapidly turning spheres of multicolored
light. They are rarely found on the Prime
Material plane, and then only in the area
of spectacular events such as doublearched
rainbows or multihued meteor
showers in the night sky.

Radiance quasi-elementals normally
attack with beams of pure light, each of
which has a different effect. The range of
these beams is equal to the hit dice of the
creature (i.e., 6?, 9?, or 12? range). The
beams have the following effects:

1. Red beam: 1d6 + 1 hp/HD (cold)
damage;

2. Orange beam: 1d6 + 1 hp/HD (heat)
damage;

3. Yellow beam: 1d6 + 1 hp/HD (acid)
damage;

4. Green beam: 1d6 + 1 hp/HD (poison)
damage;

5. Blue beam: 1d6 + 1 hp/HD (electrical)
damage;

6. Indigo beam: 1d6 + 1 hp/HD (holy
water) damage; and,

7. Violet beam: 1d6 + 1 hp/HD (force)
damage.

Effects are as for that particular type of
damage, but the energy is a ray 1? wide.
For instance, the yellow beam leaves no
acid behind, but the effects are as if a bolt
of acid struck the target. Devices which
offer protection from that particular type
of damage negate the effects of the quasielemental.
Similarly, if the creature is
immune to the effects of the type of
attack, the creature will not be harmed
(for example, a paladin struck by the indi
go beam of holy water effect would not be
harmed, but a wraith would).

Radiance quasi-elementals radiate a
continual light spell at all times. This is
diminished when they reduce their spin so
that they resemble will-o-the-wisps, or
intensified by increasing their spin rates.
In the latter case, all who look at a rapidly
spinning quasi-elemental must make a
saving throw vs. death or be blinded for
2-20 days. The range of this intense radiation
is 12? in all directions.

Spells which create or control darkness
can prevent such a quasi-elemental from
using its blinding attack, and these spells
inflict damage of 1 hp per level of the
caster to the creature. Fire, cold, and
electricity inflict half damage. Weapons
must be enchanted to + 1 or better to
inflict damage on a radiance quasielemental.

Powerful mages have been known to
capture radiance quasi-elementals and use
them as both light sources and guards in
their domains. The creatures have low
intelligence but can separate friend from
foe, so that a group of invading mercenaries
may find the the mage?s own lamps
attacking them.

FREQUENCY: Very rare
NO. APPEARING: 1 (1-6)
ARMOR CLASS: 2
MOVE: 12”
HIT DICE: 6, 9, or 12
% IN LAIR: Nil
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-6 + 1 hp/HD
SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: See below
INTELLIGENCE: Low
ALIGNMENT: Neutral (chaotic)
SIZE: L
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
LEVEL/XP VALUE: VII/1,000 + 15 per hp

Steam quasi-elementals are very rare in
the Prime Material plane and are only
found in areas of highly agitated water,
such as the base of waterfalls, in geyser
pools, and in areas where the ocean surf
strikes rocks. Steam quasi-elementals look
much like transparent, ghostlike water
elementals.

True steam quasi-elementals (as opposed
to the other lifeforms found on that quasielemental
plane) can control their internal
temperature, changing their substance
from freezing cold fogs to scalding steam.
Their method of attack involves engulfing
their victims, enclosing a cubic area of up
to 60? on a side. They then inflict 1d6 + 1
hp/HD damage to each creature within
either a hot or cold cloud. Steam quasielementals
are intelligent enough to recognize
if one mode of attack is not working
and switch to the other. A device which
protects the user from the effects of heat
or cold (such as a ring of warmth) also
protects the user from that particular
cloud attack form.

Steam quasi-elementals can fly or move
beneath water at normal movement rates,
as well as seep through cracks into small
areas. They cannot be harmed by spells
which affect weather, temperature, cold,
or water. They take half damage from fire
and full damage from electricity. In the
latter case, however, every other living
being beneath the steam quasi-elemental?s
cloud must make a saving throw versus
the effect, suffering half damage if failing
and no damage if successful. Steam quasielementals
can only be harmed by + 1 or
better enchanted weapons.

Steam quasi-elementals tend to be the
most chaotic of the positive quasielementals
? so much so that even those
mages who have divined methods of summoning
and containing them have yet to
find an adequate, safe use for them.
 

FREQUENCY: Very rare
NO. APPEARING: 1-3 (1-8)
ARMOR CLASS: 0
MOVE: 6”
HIT DICE: 6, 9, or 12
% IN LAIR: Nil
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-8 + 2 hp/HD
SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: See below
INTELLIGENCE: Low
ALIGNMENT: Neutral (chaotic)
SIZE: L
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
LEVEL/XP VALUE: VII/1,000 + 15 per hp

Mineral quasi-elementals are normally
only encountered deep beneath the earth,
in veins of gold-bearing quartz and other
untouched riches. Numerous dwarven
nations have encountered these creatures
in the wild, and the dwarves pay a healthy
respect to their territorial claims. In the
Plane of Minerals, mineral quasi-elementals
are more common, which
further increases the peril of that realm.

Mineral quasi-elementals appear in a
variety of forms, always resembling some
crystalline parody of Prime Material plane
life. Gemlike paladins sit astride glittering
mounts with lacey wings of mica next to
huge beasts that look like carved, animated
dragons with gemlike eyes. This
mimicry is inexact and unexplained, as the
creatures do not behave like the beings
they mimic.

Mineral quasi-elementals have the ability
to move through stone as do xorn. In
addition, they have the ability to regenerate
2 hp damage per round as long as they
are alive and in contact with solid, unliving
matter (stone, earth, etc). Their most dangerous
ability is to merge with other quasielementals
of their type. Two mineral
quasi-elementals may merge to form a
single, larger quasi-elemental of double the
hit dice. The merged creature can attack
twice per round; each attack inflicts 2d8
hp damage, plus 1 hp damage per combined
hit die. In addition, the merged
quasi-elemental regenerates 4 hp damage
per round. Multiple merges may occur;
the only limit seems to be the number of
quasi-elementals in the area. A reasonable
maximum limit of 100 HD would be the
greatest merged being ever encountered.

Mineral quasi-elementals are affected by
heat, cold, fire, and water. They cannot be
affected by attacks which affect solid
objects, nor can they be petrified or paralyzed.
They take double damage from acid
attacks. Lightning inflicts normal damage
but forces a merged mineral quasielemental
to make a saving throw against
spells or break down immediately into its
component parts (damage inflicted on the
merged creature is distributed equally
among its parts).

Despite their glowing appearance, the
bodies of mineral quasi-elementals have
few gems or other valuable stones. However,
their forms contain a rich variety of
minerals that would be useful to sages and
mages, so that a defeated mineral quasielemental
could fetch a price of up to 200
gp per HD from a buyer.
 

SEPTEMBER 1987