Day Four -- Qara, steam elementals

Day Four of 30 monsters in 30 days.

Qara, elemental
# encountered: 1d4 (1d8)
% in Lair: 5%
Alignment: Neutral
Movement: 120' (40')
Armor Class: 3
Hit Dice: 5*
Attacks: 3 (claw, claw, bite) or 1 (steam breath)
Damage: 1d4+2/1d4+2/2d4+2 or 3d6
Save: F7
Morale: 10
Hoard Class: None
XP: 350

The Qara are a race of amphibian shaped elementals from the Plane of Steam. They possess a rudimentary intelligence, seeking out steam vents to bask in. Qara outside of environments less than 120 degrees F begin to take one point of damage per minute.

In combat they attack with two claws and a bite, each of which inflicts an extra two points of damage due to the heat they radiate. This extra two points can be blocked by spells or magical items that resist heat. Qara also possess a breath weapon of pure steam, which they may use twice per day. The cloud of steam is twenty feet in diameter, with a range of twenty feet, that inflicts 3d6 points of damage to all within it. Those affected by the cloud may make a Save v. Breath Attacks to take 1/2 damage. The steam affects creatures that are immune to heat and/or water based attacks, and is unnaffected by magical items that convey a similar immunity (such as a ring of fire resistance).

Qara appear on the Prime Plane mostly in locations of great heat and humidity, but are occasionally summoned by magic-users to act as guardians for specific objects or locations; in these cases their summoner must prepare the enviroment to be suitable for the Qara to survive in.

Qara enjoy the immunities and characteristics of elemental creatures. They suffer double damage from cold based attacks. When slain, they collapse into a puddle of water, at the heart of which is a large, milky pearl worth 350 gold. This pearl can be used to fashion a SummoningTotem (see below).

Lair Encounter

The lava flow from a nearby volcano is feeding into a river, throwing up great plumes of steam and opening a temporary portal to the Plane of Steam, through which a solitary Qara with 14 hit points has passed into the Prime. It is relishing the opportunity to feast upon creatures made of flesh and blood and has ranged some distance from the clouds of steam to hunt prey, which accounts for its low hit point total. The portal has since closed, and the Qara has no way of returning to its Plane. The lava flow will stop in 1d4 days, at which point the Qara will die.

Summoning Totem, Qara

A small statuette wrought from brass in the rough shape of a salamander, the totem is continuously hot to the touch and dripping with condensation. When thrown to the ground and a command word spoken it summons a Qara from the Plane of Steam, which will obey the summoner's verbal commands to the best of its abilities until either killed or reduced to 0 hp by exposure to cool temperatures.