The Phlegon

I'm in uni, it can be good, can be bad, especially now that it's crunch time with exams very soon. Anyway, taking a break in the lull of activity, I've decided to work on elementals. Elementals, I hear you say, those weak buffoons? Not so, not these versions anyway. They will be on par with outsiders, complete with new traits!

I'll be working from a top-down approach, with the CR 20 creature up first. Tell me what you think! Critique and suggestions are always very much appreciated (I'm worried about the power level of these things). Thanks!

Responses to Ererad’s Proponent Theorem of the Existence of Unknown Native Inner-Planar Creatures

“Preposterous!”

“The very notion…is…absurd”

“We have…exhaustively documented all creatures, native and interloper, to the Inner Planes. There is…no evidence to suggest to the contrary. In short… there are no unknown inner-planar creatures.”

“The author needs to reword his working theory.”

The Inner, like the Outer, Realities are vast. Too vast for the simple mortal mind to comprehend. And in this vastness, live and breathe that which should and that which should not. Live and breathe, what error have I made. We are perpetually limited, in our ability to comprehend, and in our ability to understand. For too long have we taken the abishai at face value; we know now that it is in fact a different creature and a devil true, the squagmon. What then do new and wondrous discoveries await us?

I point to you the Inner Planes. The Elemental Reality of Fire and the denizens of that plane in particular. We talk about native this and native that when we refer to efreeti and salamanders. But in one stage of their existence, they were once interlopers! Yes, I hear you gasp. They are not truly natives of the Great Furnace. No, that distinction belongs to the elementals. Yet, it is untrue to say that elementals are native either. They are after all, barely sentient pieces of the plane itself.

No, I believe we are overlooking something. The missing link between truth and reality.

-- Eremantar Gerard, excerpt from Missing Pieces, Chapter 1

“Firstly, I must thank and congratulate Eremantar. No one man has single-handedly molested relevant facts and common sense as well as he has. He talks about a Great War that drew the forces of these primordial elementals into opposition. Utter nonsense I say! If these were the true inheritors of the earth, they would not fight each other. Morals and ethics? The very concept should be alien to them. By inference, the very notion of fighting each other is absurd.”

-- Avanthar Hllamain in response to Chapter 3, Foundation of Existence

Phlegon Traits
Most Phlegon possess the following traits (unless otherwise noted in the creature’s entry).

-- Darkvision out to 60 ft. and low-light vision.
-- Immunity to fire, poison, sleep effects, paralysis and stunning.
-- Resistance to acid 10 and electricity 10.
-- Summon (Sp): Some phlegon share the ability to summon lessers (the success chance and type of elementals summoned are noted in each monster description).
-- Telepathy.

Areimornihm

Large Outsider (Fire, Phlegon)
Hit Dice: 20d8+180 (270 hp)
Initiative: +13
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares), fly 80 ft. (average)
Armor Class: 38 (-1 size, +9 Dexterity, +20 natural), touch 18, flat-footed 29
Base Attack/Grapple: +20/+37
Attack: Slam +33 melee (2d8+13 + 4d6 fire)
Full Attack: 2 slams +33 melee (2d8+13 + 4d6 fire) and 4 wings +31 melee (2d6+6 + 4d6 fire)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Continual burn, flamestream, spell-like abilities, summon elemental
Special Qualities: Blazing wake, damage reduction 15/cold iron and cold, darkvision 60 ft., fount of fire, great furnace, immunity to fire, poison, sleep effects, paralysis and stunning, low-light vision, not subject to critical hits or flanking, regeneration 6, resistance to acid 10 and electricity 10, spell resistance 32, telepathy 100 ft., vulnerability to cold
Saves: Fort +21, Ref +21, Will +21
Abilities: Str 36, Dex 28, Con 28, Int 24, Wis 24, Cha 24
Skills:
Feats: Cleave, Flyby Attack, Great Cleave, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Multiattack, Power Attack
Environment: The Elemental Reality of Fire
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 20
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Neutral
Advancement: 21 – 40 HD (Large), 41 – 60 HD (Huge)

Few have encountered an areimornihm, fewer still have returned to tell of the tale. The areimornihm are quiet enigmas, not much is known of them, lesser still is known of their histories and how they came to be. There could be some truth to what the scholars posit. After all, subjective theories are often grounded in objective facts. Proof does exist but it’s tenuous and highly debated.

The areimornihm are the greatest of the elementals that dominate the Crematorium, a remarkably apt name for the Elemental Reality of Fire, and the true rulers of that Reality. The salamanders and efreeti are interlopers, stains upon a plane noted for its neutral purity. Morality and ethics are alien to them, as are concepts of compassion and malevolence. Nothing is left in their wake, save for maybe ashes. While it is untrue to say they exist for no reason than to burn, they do seem to take particular delight in their ability to cause immense destruction. They do not back down from combat nor do they instigate it. Rare is the areimornihm that knows what mercy is.

Areimornihm are true loners, solitary beacons upon the stream of their own past, present and future. It is true to say that an areimornihm is the rival of any powerful fiend or angel, though they seldom exercise this point. Rarer still do they exercise their influence over others of their ilk, deliberately staying out of the politics rife in the Reality of Fire.

An areimornihm has an intellectual brilliance challenged by few.

Areimornim appear as tall, slender beings. Their skins burn with intense heat, giving it a pale cast. Their heads are seemingly bald, though red hot flames lick their scalps, creating the illusion of hair. Four immense pairs of wings, the coloration of hot ember flecked with orange fire, spread from their backs. Phoenix-like, they radiate a tremendous heat. Their eyes burn with the intensity of a thousand suns and their high cheekbones frame a face of handsome features.

Combat

Blazing Wake (Ex): Areimornihm leave roaring infernos behind them. The path of the areimornihm’s movement burns as a maximized wall of fire spell. Both sides of the wall radiate heat, dealing 8 points of damage to those within 10 ft., and 4 points of damage to those within 20 ft. Those passing through the wall take 16 points of fire damage. The damage halves after every round for 4 rounds, this is due to the flames cooling over those rounds.

An areimornihm can also remain in one place, causing the inferno to arise around them. If the areimornihm does not move in the round, a 10 ft. radius flaming circle centered on it is formed, with all the same properties of the Blazing Wake.

Continual Burn (Ex): All fire damage originating from the areimornihm forces the risk of continual burn. Those who suffer fire damage from an areimornihm’s melee attacks, Blazing Wake, Flamestream or Fount of Fire must succeed on a Reflex save DC 29 or catch fire themselves. This deals one-half of the original fire damage every round until extinguished. The flames can be doused with a Reflex save DC 29 each round or immersion in any nonflammable liquid or any effect that deals at least 4 points of cold damage to the victim. Spells that create water or use water to cause damage also can extinguish the flame. Spells that magically control fire are effective against the flames.

Flamestream (Su): As a standard action, an areimornihm can release a jet of white hot flames at their foes. This is a ranged touch attack, which deals 3d10 points of fire damage. The max range on a flamestream is 60 ft., with no range increments.

Fount of Fire (Ex): In their natural state, the areimornihm are immense energy beings. When they walk among lesser beings, though, they are chained and tethered to shells that bind and contain their essences. Even so, this does not prevent the release of these energies in the form of Blazing Wake, Continual Burn, Flamestream and Great Furnace. An areimornihm has the space and reach of a Colossal creature and is capable of attacking any creature in those squares.
So intense is their connection to the Reality of Fire that it ignores the resistance to fire of creatures and affected creatures with immunity to fire still take half damage. Creatures with the fire subtype, and especially elementals, hit by an areimornihm’s melee attacks gain four negative levels. For each negative level bestowed, the areimornihm gains 5 temporary hit points. An areimornihm can use its energy drain ability once per round. Any metal weapon wielded against the areimornihm must succeed a Fort DC 29 save or melt away into slag. Additionally, an areimornihm can command fire elementals as a cleric of their HD. Finally, any being engaged in a grapple with an areimornihm suffers 3d10 points of fire damage; there is no save.

Great Furnace (Ex): All fire-based attacks cast by an areimornihm, whether they are spells or spell-like abilities, function as if they were quickened. Additionally, an areimorniem may cast any fire-based spell or spell-like ability as if they were empowered or maximized. Furthermore, an areimornihm is perpetually surrounded by waves of fire and burning air; unprotected wood, paper, cloth and other flammable materials catch fire almost immediately and those wearing unprotected flammable clothing catch on fire. In addition, individuals take 3d10 points of fire damage every round they are within ten feet of the areimornihm. Creatures of the water subtype are extremely uncomfortable around the areimornihm. Those that are made of water take double damage each round.

Regeneration (Ex): Cold and water deal normal damage to an areimornihm. When in contact with a blaze at least twice their size, an areimornihm’s rate of regeneration is doubled. Additionally, fire damage heals an equal amount of damage instead; fire damage that would normally penetrate immunities instead deals no damage. This creature cannot be healed except by means of this ability.

Spell-Like Abilities: At will – burning hands, cone of fire, fireball, fire seeds, fire trap, flame strike, flaming sphere, greater dispel magic, greater teleport, heat metal, orb of fire, produce flame, scorching ray, wall of fire; 3/day – fire storm; 2/day – incendiary cloud; 1/day – elemental swarm, meteor swarm. DC 17 + spell level. Once per year, an areimorniem can use wish as the spell (cast level 20th).

Summon Elemental (Sp): Four times per day, an areimornihm may automatically summon 4 small fire elementals, medium fire elementals, or large fire elementals, or 2 huge fire elementals, greater fire elementals, or elder fire elementals. This is the equivalent of an 8th-level spell.