Waver (creature) [EE]3

[Icewalker]

These things have been quite quick to make. Three up already. I really should do more work on my campaign, but this will be such a cool project if I can really get it started and I certainly have the time at the moment...

[hr]
Waver
Tiny Vermin (Air, Extraplanar)
HD 1/4d8+2 (3)
Speed Fly, Perfect 20 ft. (6 squares)
Init: +2
AC 16; touch 14; flat-footed 14
(+2 size, +2 Dex, +2 Natural)
BAB/Grp +0/-12
Attack Bite +4 (1d3-4 plus poison)
Full-Attack Bite +4 (1d3-4 plus poison)
Space 2 1/2 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
Special Attacks Poison
Special Qualities Darkvision 60 ft., vermin traits
Saves Fort +4 Ref +2 Will -3
Abilities Str 3, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 1, Wis 4, Cha 4
Skills Spot +7, Listen -1, Hide +6
Feats Alertness
Environment throughout the Elemental Plane of Air
Organization Name (Number appearing)
Challenge Rating 1/6
Alignment Neutral
Advancement -

The thin striplike form hovers through the air, oscillating up and down as it swims through empty space. It looks like a flattened centipede with no legs, and long tendrils waving off the front of the head as it casually treads the air.

Wavers are small creatures, closely related to the monstrous centipede of the material plane, which live on the elemental plane of air. They hover along extremely casually, and are the prey of a huge variety of creatures on the elemental plane. They get their food from a strange process that has led researchers to trouble classifying them as an animal, as they seem to eat through a photosynthetic process of sunbathing and consuming clouds. There are two varieties: Cloud Wavers and Clear Wavers, white and blue respectively, named for their camouflage against the sky.

The waver's only form of defense is likely not even that. The simple poison barely slows an opponent, and certainly won't stop the waver from being eaten itself, and has no lasting effects. It is suspected that their Density Venom is used in battles over mates.

Poison (Ex): Wavers have a special Density Venom in their bite. Fortitude DC 12, initial and secondary damage a 1 step reduction in maneuverability of natural flying ability. This applies to all flying, even affecting creatures on the Elemental Plane of Air with supernatural flight ability (like other wavers) or beings with physical flight such as wings, or even magic abilities that allow flight.

Skills: Wavers have a natural +4 bonus to spot checks, and a natural +4 bonus to hide checks on either clear days or cloudy days, depending on their color.

Wavers as familiars:
Wavers can be taken as familiar by residents of the elemental plane of air, or by particularly enterprising arcanists. Unless one can visit the plane itself, a short ritual is required to take a Waver familiar, requiring 25 gp of strange gasses and a day of summoning to complete.

As a familiar Wavers provide the ability to last three additional days without food before beginning to starve if sunlight and water are available.

[arguskos]

I think I figured out your acronym, btw. Want me to expound on my guess, or hold it for now?

Oh, and all of these are just great. I love these cute lil' critters.

[Icewalker]

Thanks!

No no, do post. I want people to guess at it. You can put it in a spoiler if you want for other people to keep guessing, but I'm indifferent.

[arguskos]

Spoiler

Show

Elemental Ecologies

or some variant there of

Note that IF I am correct, it's GOD DAMN GLORIOUS! I love the Elemental Planes so very very much.

[Icewalker]

Pretty much, yeah:

Spoiler

Show

Elemental Ecosystems

The other acronym which is on all of my posts so far in my extended sig, is 'w/oEN' which stands for without ecological niche. Once I have more of a base I'm going to go back and detail basic lifestyles, predators and prey, etc.

[arguskos]

Spoiler

Show

Yeah, I sorta guessed. Are only the main four getting treatment, or are the Pseudo and Quasi's as well?

[Icewalker]

While I really love the Pseudo and Quasi elemental planes, I'm not sure that much detail would be worth doing. It'd just be a bit of a mess. I'd say, extrapolate as many applicable pieces from the primary four if you want to fill out those.

[Lappy9000]

Elemental Ecosystems

Extraordinarily Epic. On so many levels.

I would love it if this project took off

[Icewalker]

That's the plan. I'll be going back in more detail as I go along, once I have more of a basis set up.

...I need to watch more Planet Earth. It's most of what initially inspired this, and is still a great resource for ideas and examples of how ecosystems balance.