Undine

Elementals that long for the chaos of a mortal life. A water elemental.

Imagine any one of the following:

Water in the shape of a child, its feature recognizable yet undefined. It speaks like a glass harp.

Water in the shape of a beautiful [humanoid], its skin the color of a stormy wave and hair that is pouring out like a fountain.

A large coiling blob of water. An irregular number of translucent appendages sprout out of it at random places. It has a clear, melodious voice.

Limber, Naive curiosity, Unaware of its strength.


 
HD: 4 Armor: none
Hit it: normal Dodge it: normal
Move: slow, swim fast  

It is immune being grappled or petrified (because it’s liquid). It resists all damage (because it’s an elemental). It can shape water at will, and move through any small hole. Also, it recovers 1D6 HP every round spent submerged. In general, it has the same properties as water. However, it takes 1D6 damage each round spent out of water. If it gets a true-love’s kiss from a mortal, it permanently loses all its resistances and becomes a mortal with a soul, which it wants.

Attacks (2/round)

Shape Change. The undine changes shape between a blob of water and a humanoid. Both forms have the same stats, except the humanoid can run as fast as a human and the blob is invisible under water. They also each have a different set of attacks.

> as a blob

Slam. The undine makes a melee attack (1D8) with a water tentacle which can reach anywhere nearby. On a hit, a target with a 6 fortitude or less is knocked prone.

Grapple. The undine makes a grapple attack against any nearby target. A grappled target cannot breathe.

Choke. The undine inflicts Fortitude damage (1D4) to a grappled target.

> as a humanoid

Cast Spell. Detect Magic, Dispel Magic, Dust to Water, Geas

Freezing Touch. The undine makes a melee cold attack (1D6). On a hit, the target must pass a fortitude check before being able to move again.


Random Encounter
  1. Monster: 1 undine
  2. Lair: A cove or fountain full of memorabilia from a humanoid culture.
      OR
    Omen: Glass harp sounds, close.
  3. Spoor: A wet space where a seemingly random everyday object has apparently been stolen.
  4. Tracks: Glass harp sounds, far.
  5. Trace: [rumor] Random objects have disappeared in a local community, The theft scene always had traces of water.
  6. Trace: [rumor] Someone’s ancestor has married a water spirit.
D6 What the Monster Wants
  1. To get a true-love’s kiss from a local beauty and experience the thrill of a short life.
  2. Amass the greatest collection of curios from a specific local humanoid culture.
  3. To get a true-love’s kiss from one of you and experience the thrill of a short life.
  4. Find a way to walk on land without dying.
  5. Learn the culture of one of the characters.
  6. A mortal soul, but without being bound by marriage.
Binding the Elemental

You gain a Spell Dice, one Doom Point and …

  1. … you become a puddle. You lose all movement and strength.
  2. … you can’t rest without being in contact with water.
  3. … the undine has your soul. You cannot be resurrected.
  4. … you are semi liquid. You automatically escape grapples if you try.
  5. … you are semi liquid. You can extend your arm 20’.
  6. … the spell word Drink.

If you roll a catastrophe, the elemental is released.

Conjuring the Elemental

If you know the spell Conjure, you can alter it in such a way for a minimum of 4 Spell Dice:

Conjure Undine
R: 30’ 

This spell must be cast on a humanoid-made fountain or pool and the summoning is permanent. The undine is eternally grateful for having access to mortal culture (roll on the what the monster wants table). In exchange the undine will give you its (roll [dice] times and choose one result) …

  1. … voice. You can now soothe aquatic creatures by singing.
  2. … voice. You can now attract sea birds by singing, and you can give them a non suicidal command of as many words as your charisma.
  3. … voice. Choose a humanoid type, these humanoids that would be indifferent to you become friendly.
  4. … beauty. If possible, humanoids will not attack you in the first round of combat.
  5. … beauty. In each town, choose a person who will have a crush on you. The referee will choose another person who will be jealous.
  6. … beauty. You get 1D100 years younger, to a minimum of 18.
  7. … magic. You learn the spell Dust to Water, which you can cast once per day for free.
  8. … magic. If your two feet are submerged in water, your magic dice recover on a 1 to a 4. If you don’t have any magic dice, you gain one instead.


DM Notes

Adapting the undine was difficult: like most elementals, the DnD version of the creature is pretty unimaginative in both shape and ability (it’s a stronger water weird with spells). In this case however, the real life counterpart of the myth is fascinating: not only is it at the origin of the concept of an elemental creature, but also the inspiration behind the story of the Little Mermaid. I decided to take the powers of the DnD creature and flavor it as the original myth.

Written on November 14, 2020