Creature: Arcanomental

This creature is my own creation.

Arcanomental

An arcanomental.

A billowing, gaseous cloud writhes in the air before you, the air rippling around it. Wisps of arcane energy float about it, and two eyes of intense white energy stare out from the top of its vaguely-humanoid form. Raw magical energy visibly pulses around the creature.

An arcanomental is a raw, mobile expression of arcane power. They are similar to espers, in that they are found rarely in places where the land itself is saturated with magic. Arcanomentals, however, are much more attuned to magic than espers; they have no mortal form, and are truly elementals.

Arcanomentals are normally neutral towards most beings they encounter. Should they encounter a creature with psionic or technological ability, they attack on sight and without remorse; an arcanomental attempting to slay a psionic- or technology-aligned creature will not stop until the creature or the arcanomental itself is dead.

Arcanomentals can sometimes be reasoned with, though communicating with them is difficult, as they are rather alien. Arcanomentals often go dormant after some time, and awaken with surges of magical energy.

Arcanomentals come in the same relative sizes as other elementals: small, medium, large, huge, greater, and elder. The larger and older a given arcanomental, the stronger its connection to raw magic, and thus its size increases and its abilities become more dangerous.

Arcanomentals do not speak, but understand Arcanic.

Arcanomentals are one of the types of force elemental.

Combat

Arcanomentals who engage in combat use their considerable magic to the best effect. Each arcanomental is unique, in what particular expressions of arcane power it wields. It is noted that the abilities of arcanomentals run the gamut of spellcraft, from magic missile to meteor swarm. It is not known if there is any way to tell just how powerful a given arcanomental will be, though it can be reasonably assumed that larger arcanomentals will be more powerful and able to produce more powerful arcane effects.

Arcanomentals who become forced into melee do not attempt to flee, but continue invoking arcane energy until either they or their target is dead. Arcanomentals seem to utterly lack a survival instinct, and while they may make intelligent tactical decisions, their tactics revolve around killing their original targets rather than taking out threats to their survival.

Lore

A character knows the following information with a successful Knowledge (Arcana) or Knowledge (The Forces) check.

Knowledge (Arcana)

• DC 15: Arcanomentals are bizarre elementals that are composed of raw arcane energy. Each arcanomental is relatively unique, and their abilities vary wildly.
• DC 16: Arcanomentals do not communicate, but they seem to understand the Arcanic language.
• DC 18: Arcanomentals are similar in nature to espers, but have a stronger and much more primal connection to magic itself. The esper's arcane transformation temporarily turns the esper into a facsimile of an arcanomental.
• DC 19: Arcanomentals seem able to sense psionic or technology, especially those who use these forces. They become immediately hostile when psionics or technology is in their presence.
• DC 20: It is understood that, as beings made of raw magic, arcanomentals are able to absorb arcane energy that they successfully resist.
• DC 22: Certain magical effects, such as magic missile, have no effect on an arcanomental, and even seem to heal the creature.
• DC 24: Certain magical effects, such as dispel magic, that dispel or otherwise negate magical effects are incredibly effective against arcanomentals, much in the same way that espers are vulnerable to such effects.
• DC 25: Arcanomentals are capable of producing spell-like effects at will, and the arcane energy upon which they draw has no known limit.
• DC 27: Properly gathered and treated, the remains left behind by arcanomentals can be used in spells to empower their effects, or used in item creation to empower items. Weapons so empowered often are sheathed in raw arcane power, and armor so empowered seems to absorb arcane energy. For whatever reason, summoned arcanomentals never leave behind this residue.

Knowledge (The Forces)

• DC 18: Arcanomentals are bizarre elementals that are composed of raw arcane energy. Each arcanomental is relatively unique, and their abilities vary wildly.
• DC 20: Arcanomentals are incredibly violent towards users of psionics or technology, and will attack them on sight.
• DC 22: Arcanomentals seem able to sense psionic or technology, especially those who use these forces. They become immediately hostile when psionics or technology is in their presence.
• DC 24: It is understood that, as beings made of raw magic, arcanomentals are able to absorb arcane energy that they successfully resist.
• DC 25: Older or larger arcanomentals are sometimes known to be immune to some kinds of psionic and technological effects. Not all larger arcanomentals that have been encountered have had these immunities, and there is known to be some amount of variety; it is unknown how to determine a given arcanomental's immunities a priori.
• DC 27: Arcanomentals are capable of producing spell-like effects at will, and the arcane energy upon which they draw has no known limit.

Summoning an Arcanomental

Some spells, such as summon monster III, can summon elementals. Such spells are also capable of summoning arcanomentals of the appropriate size and ability.

Note that only arcane spells can produce arcanomentals. Other forces with effects that are capable of summoning or otherwise resulting in the appearance of an elemental cannot produce an arcanomental.