Firetail
Created by Ed Greenwood
FREQUENCY: Rare / very rare
NO. APPEARING: 1-6/1-2
ARMOR CLASS: 6/2
MOVE: (flight) 14”/19”
HIT DICE: 4+4/9+9
% IN LAIR: Nil
TREASURE TYPE: Nil / Gems only
(25% chance)
NO. OF ATTACKS: 2/4
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-6/1-12
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Heat/Heat, magic
use
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil / +1 or better
weapon to hit
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 40% / 90%
INTELLIGENCE: Average / Genius
ALIGNMENT: Chaotic neutral
SIZE: S (2-4’ long)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil
The firetail appears as a frolicsome,
fey creature of living flame, which loops
and darts dazzlingly in the air and is re-
puted to employ magic. Only the “great-
er firetail,” or tshala (listed to the right of
the slash marks in the table above), ac-
tually casts spells, but the two species
are outwardly identical.
The firetail originates on the Elemen-
tal Plane of Fire, where it is Uncommon/
Rare, but some few have been transport-
ed elsewhere by diverse means, and
some have travelled to other planes of
their own whim, for greater firetails may
Plane Shift themselves and 1-6 lesser
firetails (in a group) once per day.
Such groups are short-lived (thus
stranding lesser firetails in unfamiliar
planes), for firetails are creatures of
whim and independence. Usually soli-
tary, they prefer the company of their
own kind to that of other creatures. Oc-
casionally they will take a companion,
which may be almost any sort of crea-
ture. Firetails have accompanied others
of their kind, pegasi, sylphs, elves, and
even humans. Although they never forget
friends, firetails may suddenly ignore a
familiar being, depart for a time and re-
turn without discernible reason, or even
break off combat and attempt to befriend
an opponent.
Firetails tend to take sides in conflicts,
and may wreak great havoc or do much
good. They hate salamanders and will
attack them on sight. Firetails and fire
elementals tend to ignore each other.