I quite like the concept of elementals. That doesn't mean they are always done right, however as the sheer simplicity of their concept of 'living representation of an elemental force' leaves them to be somewhat generic and bland creatures. They don't have to be. In many ways, the Earth element may very well be one of the more understated and overlooked element. After all, Fire and Lightning generally get all the attention when it come to great displays of power. Which is a shame, because there is so much for the Earth element to offer, as it is the one humans interact with the most. We spend nearly every moment of our lives standing on ground or material which act as substitute ground, be it rock and stones, metal, wood (which grows from the earth) or plastic (which is petroleum-derived and reside in the earth). When we die, our bodies are confined to the earth to rot and eventually return to nature. Our fate is tied to all elements, but it is Earth we spend the most time with.
The symbol for 'Earth' is pretty simple, isn't it? It suit Earth just fine if you ask me...
Earth is the root element around which other elements orbit around, in so much as the planet-centric model applies. It is the repository of all wealth, of the past and future. It is old but its very material, its bones, can and will be harvested and transformed to create new things, a future. People tend to associate earth elementals and earth-based magic with simply endurance, but there is quite a bit more to tie with this element than 'a big rock monster'.
These charts use Labyrinth Lord as its basis. Its probably not remotely 'balanced' but who cares about that?
How much Hit Dice does it have?
| d8 |
Number of HD |
| 1-3 |
8 HD. Its a relatively small one. |
| 4-6 |
12 HD. Its bigger than average. |
| 7-8 |
16 HD. Cthonic might incarnate. |
What is the Elemental like?
| d20 |
This Elemental is made of... |
| 1-3 |
Stone: This is a fairly standard elemental, primarily made
of common stone. Roll on Physical Features twice and combine. |
| 4-6 |
Earth: Most of its body is made of compacted Earth rather than
rock. Roll on Physical Features and Plant Life. |
| 7-9 |
Stone with a History: There is more to this Elemental than
it’s simple body belies. It is either quite ancient or has been
summoned more than once in its life and the creature’s body has
ancient markings. Increase hit dice by 1d4 and Roll on the History
and Physical Features table. |
| 10-12 |
Unusual: This Elemental is a bit more unusual. Roll on the
Unusual and Physical Features table. |
| 13-15 |
Metal: A large portion of this Elemental’s body is made of
metallic ores, improving its AC by 1. Roll on the Metal and
Physical Features table. |
| 16-18 |
Petroleum: Ancient, this elemental ooze with a sticky black
substance. Fossils may adorn or compose its body. Its ancient body
+1 HP/per hit dice. Roll on the Petroleum and Physical Features
table. |
| 19-20 |
Para-Elemental: This particular elemental, while
Earth-dominant, features a secondary element in its making. Roll
on the Para-Elemental table and Physical Features table. |
| d20 |
Physical Features |
| 1-3 |
Hulking Brute: Large, brutish, mostly shapeless body with a
thick torso and limbs with stubby legs. The most common (and
boring) shape of elementals. 50% chance to have 1d4 extra arms. |
| 4-6 |
Humanoid: Did this ancient creature willingly take a
humanoid form or is it mocking us? Or perhaps it imitate us out of
alien curiosity? 50% chance to be particularly tall and
long-limbed, almost more like a giant than mere human. |
| 7-9 |
Stout: Its body shape is more akin to a dwarf or gnome, races
associated with earth. Reduce Speed by 10’ but it gain +1 HP/per
hit dice. There is a 50% chance it has a particularly large and
cool-looking stone beard, which is its pride and joy. |
| 10-11 |
Quadrupedal: This elemental walks on all four limbs. Beyond
that, it’s shape is rough and only generally suggest some
four-legged earthbound creature. |
| 12-13 |
Predator: Much like the Quadrupedal elemental, but it has a
clear head with a mouth or perhaps clear, sharp or jagged claws of
some kind. It is particularly aggressive and strong, increasing
damage by one category. |
| 14-15 |
Worm: Long, segmented and bring a new meaning to the term
‘earthworm’. Increase movement speed by 20’. |
| 16-17 |
Insectoid: Looks like some sort of burrowing beetle. 50% chance
it in fact has wings of dust which allows it to fly. |
| 17-20 |
Geometric: Shaped like a pyramid, cube or other geometrical
shape. It usually has a limb for each side. Or maybe it levitate,
your choice. |
| d8 | Unusual Features |
| 1 | Embedded Gemstones: Gemstones of some type shine across the elemental’s hide. There is a 50% chance these gems don’t disappear when the creature dies. |
| 2 | Eroded: The effect of erosion had given this elemental a rounded, smooth finish. |
| 3 | Colorful Ribbons: The ribbon-like layers on this Elemental are particularly colorful and fancy. |
| 4 | Basalt Prism: The hide of the Elemental is made of geometric prisms of basalt. |
| 5 | Obsidian: Made of jagged, volcanic glass, this creature’s sharp body can rend unwary adventurers apart. Increase its damage by one category. |
| 6 | Limestone: Made primarily of Limestone, this Elemental has fossils embedded in its body. There is a 50% chance it's a particularly notable one. Roll on the Fossil table. |
| 7 | Diamond: This Elemental is made of diamond! Unfortunately, that also makes it really, really hard. Improve its AC by 1 and make it immune to non-magical weapon. |
| 8 | Plant Life: There’s plant life growing off this elemental, sometimes granting it symbiotic powers. Roll on the Plant Life table.
|
| d10 |
Plant Life |
| 1-2 |
Grass: Grass grows on the earthy parts of the Elemental. Its
ordinary grass. |
| 3-4 |
Shrubs: A spiky, twisted shrub grows somewhere on the
Elemental’s body. |
| 5-6 |
Moss: A thin layer of moss cover the elemental’s body. |
| 7 |
Grassy Hide: The same way animals have fur or scale, this
Elemental is covered in thick grass. The grass is alive and
possibly sentient to some extent as it can speak words, perhaps
sentences. Who knows what it may say? |
| 8 |
Hypnotic Mushrooms: Pale, twisted mushrooms grow off the
creature’s head (or torso if it has no head). These allow it to
cast Confusion. |
| 9 |
Bright Flowers: Quite lovely to look at but it also gives
the Elemental the ability to cast Fireball as these strange arcane
flowers, when glowing in unison, unleash a blast of searing light. |
| 10 |
Tree: There’s a tree growing out of the Elemental, its
roots intertwined with the limbs of the Elemental. Increase Hit
Dice by 2 and allows the Elemental to cast a Druid (or Cleric, if
you don’t use Druids) appropriate to its Hit Dice. |
| d8 |
History |
| 1 |
Statue: Part of or the entire body of this Elemental has
been chiseled into a statue. There is a 25% chance that the statue
is still loosely recognisable. |
| 2 |
Paintings: Early man painted some scenes on what became the
body of this Elemental. |
| 3 |
Calamity: Once upon a time, this particular Elemental brought a
great earth-related calamity, such as an earthquake or landslide.
The bones of its victims can be seen poking through its ‘flesh’.
It can cast Earthquake if it has more than 8 Hit Dices. |
| 4 |
Treasure: A treasure is buried inside the elemental’s
earth-and-stone-chest. It won’t easily allow its heart to be
removed. Furthermore, it hate thieves (both the class and the act
of thieving) and will attack them on sight, having a supernatural
sense which allows it to see who is a thief and who isn’t. |
| 5 |
Composite: Wounded in an ancient battle, the ‘flesh’ of
this elemental bear scars and while others are composed of a
clearly different type of stone. It is an ancient warrior used to
pain (or whatever elementals feel) and it gain +1 HP/per hit dice. |
| 6 |
Former Bound Elemental: This creature had once been bound as a
servant to some wizard and its body still bear the elaborate
markings which double as ancient binding contracts etched into its
flesh. There is a 50% chance that it broke free (or was released
by the sudden death of his master) and bears a burning hatred of
Magic-Users. |
| 7 |
Ancient Ruins: The body of this Elemental bear small, barely
noticeable marks of ancient and long-lost architecture. There is a
50% chance that, when talked to about such matters, it may reveal
some secret about lost civilizations. |
| 8 |
Face of God: Perhaps this creature itself was worshipped as a
God or its body may have been made from the broken remains of some
ancient statue. Either way its body bears the carved face of a
long-forgotten god. There is a 50% chance that it can cast a
Cleric spell of a level appropriate to its Hit Dice. |
| d10 |
Metal |
| 1-2 |
Shiny Finish: The metallic hide of this Elemental is quite
shiny and polished. |
| 3-4 |
Corroded: Rust cling to this creature’s metal hide but does
not appear to impede it. |
| 5 |
Magnetic: Metallic weapons automatically hit the Elemental but
then have the annoying tendency of getting stuck to its body.
Furthermore, the Elemental can shoot back weapons stuck to its
body. It usually has 2d4 weapons stuck to itself when encountered. |
| 6 |
Metallic Spurs: Jagged pieces of metal erupt from the
Elemental’s hands (or jaw, or whatever is appropriate. These
preternatural blades always strike armored foes as if their AC was
the lowest natural AC of the system. (AC 9 for Labyrinth Lord) |
| 7 |
Lead: Pockets of lead allow this Elemental to cast
Anti-Magic shell. |
| 8 |
Forged: Reforged by human hands for war in ancient times
(Or recent times, who knows?), this Elemental make good use of the
fact its body has been made into a living armor. Improve its AC by
1 and it can wield weapons. There is also a 50% chance it's
accompanied by warriors of some kind who either command or are
commanded by the Elemental. |
| 9 |
Gold: Naturally-occurring gold compose a portion of this
Elemental’s body. Unfortunately for any greedy adventurer, the
symbolic association of gold with the Sun gives it the ability to
fire off rays of golden flame. Treat as the breath weapon of a Red
Dragon appropriate to it’s Hit Dices. |
| 10 |
Uranium Ore: Uh oh. This Elemental is radioactive! |
| d4 |
Petroleum |
| 1 |
Oozing: The Elemental constantly ooze petroleum, which
seemingly never stop flowing from its body. |
| 2 |
Bubbling Tar: The body of this Elemental is covered in a
living, flowing layer of tar-like substance which constantly
bubbles and pop. Weapons will become stuck in it. |
| 3 |
Tar Breath: The Elemental can exhale toxic tar. Treat this
as the Breath Weapon of a Green Dragon of appropriate Hit Dices. |
| 4 |
Fossils: There are some fossils stuck (or part of) the
Elemental’s body. Roll on the Fossil table. |
| d4 |
Fossils |
| 1 |
Draconic Beast: The skeleton(s) of ancient reptilian
beasts, possibly dragons form the bones of this Elemental.
Increase its damage by one category. |
| 2 |
Ancient Plants: Fossilized plants, can be seen. Roll on
Plant Life, but its fossilized. |
| 3 |
Bone of Giants: The bone of ancient giants and titans
compose the body of the Elemental. Increase its Hit Dices by 1d4. |
| 4 |
Antediluvian Horrors: Trapped inside the Elemental’s body are
the fossilized remains of impossibly ancient life, older than man.
Older than elves. Older than the gods, even? It can cast Symbol of
Insanity. |
| d6 |
Para-Elemental |
| 1 |
Dust: A hybrid of Earth and Air (or is it Earth and
Entropy?) The body of the elemental is composed of grains of dust,
salt or some other particulate material. It has the abilities of
both types. |
| 2 |
Seabed: While its body is primarily rock, this Elemental lives
(or lived) at the bottom of the ocean and is covered in discarded
shells and kelp. It can move in water with no penalty whatsoever. |
| 3 |
Mud: A hybrid of Earth and Water, with a slippery and
muddy body. It has the abilities of both types. |
| 4 |
Igneous Rock: Once a child of Earth and Fire, it has since
cooled down. There is a 50% chance it can still hurl small bolts
of flame, which function as Magic Missiles. |
| 5 |
Magma: A much more active crossbreed of Earth and Fire. It has
the abilities of both types. |
| 6 |
Fulgurite: A child of Earth and Lightning, its seemingly
brittle body of fused sand crackles with electricity. It can cast
Lightning Bolt. |
