Eladrin, Laene

[ Outsiders > Celestials > Eladrin ]
[ Aestetica | Paragons | Court of Stars ]

Laene Eladrin

Also known as dwarf azata †

Who Crave the Beauty of Gemstones

CG; CR 11 ‡

Alternate form: An amorphous pool of corrosive quicksilver

Laenes (lay-NAY) are a sub-Aestetica of aeolaekas. In their demihuman form they take inspiration from Ysgardian dwarves and svirfneblin, often growing out their beards—no matter which gender they present. They typically resemble a heavy-set gnomes or slender dwarfs, with silver eyes. Laene are masterful metallurgists, miners and jewellers. Aeolaekas and laenes working together can create magical items that shine with the mutable power of their homes.

Eladrin, Greater — Laene

COMBAT: Laenes are immune to acid, electricity, fire (including magical), magic missiles and all force strike spells, petrification/polymorph, and weapons of less than +2 enchantment not forged of cold iron. Resistances: They are resistant (50% damage) to gas or poisons. Vulnerabilities: Cold, infernal or unholy energy, cold iron weapons.

In demi-human form, laene favour a battle axe of sharpness +3 (strikes creatures harmed only by +5 weapons, made of crystalline glassteel, immune to acid), which they wield at 19 strength. Their low inherent AC in this form is due to the armouring effect of celestial energy, and is not cumulative with physical armor—if physical armor is worn, perhaps for a disguise, then the AC of the armor is used instead, even if it is worse. A laene may transform into element form while wearing armour, but doing so destroys the armour (magical metallic armor will require several rounds to dissolve completely, and will hamper the Laene until ‘removed’.

An evil creature of fewer than 5 HD that meets the stony gaze of an angry laene must save vs. petrification or be transformed into stone with all their gear for 4d8 rounds; a system shock check is required to survive the initial transformation, but not for the reversion to normal form.

In their elemental form, laene attack by grappling or engulfing their opponent; this attack does not need to penetrate the target’s armour, so only magical and dexterity defensive adjustments apply. If the laene scores a hit, it establishes a hold. Any metal in sustained contact with the laene will dissolve and be absorbed into the eladrin’s body (1 round for chain mail, 2 rounds for plate, plus 1 round per plus for magical items). After the armour has dissolved, or if the armour is non-metallic, the laene automatically inflicts 3d8 points of acid damage per subsequent round to a held opponent (saving throw vs. breath weapon for half damage; non-metallic armour that provides extensive coverage grants a bonus to the saving throw, but requires a saving throw vs. acid every round or the armour dissolves and becomes useless).

On any round after establishing a hold, the laene may attempt to apply constrictive pressure by attacking against the remaining Armor Class (dexterity adjustments no longer apply when held, and the target’s armor is physically dissolving). If successful, the laene causes an additional +8 points of constriction damage; even if it fails, the acid damage continues each round until the hold is escaped with a contested Strength check against 19 Str.

Sure, I can make it,
but can you pay for it?

—a laene, haggling

Note that weapons striking a laene while it is in elemental form must attempt an item saving throw versus acid or be destroyed; the laene still takes damage from any successful hit by a weapon that it wasn’t immune to.

A laene may only hold one opponent at a time; if additional opponents attempt to grapple with the laene, then each sustains 1d8 points of acid damage per round of contact. However, each grappler aids with a +1 to the contested strength check of the person held (the amorphous nature of the laene makes it difficult to apply such assistance effectively).

Underwater, a laene’s acid attack is ineffective; however, the laene itself is not harmed by aqueous environments, and can still grapple/engulf and constrict opponents. Laene are able to breathe water in any form. They can also choose not to employ their acid attack against engulfed opponents while in other environments.

As greater eladrin, laene are surrounded by protection from evil in a 10′ foot radius at all times. A laene can also use any of the following spell-like powers once per round at will: alter self, comprehend languages, cure light wounds, detect evil, advanced illusion, detect invisible, ESP, improved invisibility, fabricate, glassteel, stone to flesh/petrify, superior magnetism, Tenser’s destructive resonance, or wall of stone. Once per day, a laene can cast enchant an item; once per year, a laene can cast permanency.

Laene have a special passwall ability that functions only on stone and converts it into a fluid gel rather than an open passage; the gel reverts to stone after 1 turn, or when the laene dispels it if sooner. A laene can move through this gel at their normal movement rate; others are slowed by 50%. Laene are able to breathe stone but the gel is not breathable to those who lack such an ability. Transitioning into a lithic environment requires 3 segments, and normally constitutes the action for a round; however, the laene can also transform simultaneously into their elemental form, if they wish.

Laene in element form have tremorsense which allows them to perceive their environment in a 360 yard range; this sense works in air or stone, but not both simultaneously (a laene cannot see through walls, or across an air gap, but could enter a stone block (using their passwall ability) and perceive the location of any cavities or other discontinuities within it). Smaller items may be scanned if the laene engulfs them. Laene possess the spell-casting abilities of a 12th-level priest.

HABITAT/SOCIETY: The laene are smiths and crafters of great talent and skill. They provide tulani lords with the magical items that are bestowed on the knights, and occasionally others. Typically, only one laene will be present at any particular court crafting repairs; while most others are out and about, or down in the forges fashioning new items. Laene are able to travel freely throughout the planes; but on the Prime, must observe the Code of the Veil, which they typically do as gnomes or dwarves. Laene are natives of Ysgard’s third layer Nidavellir, and are very rarely encountered elsewhere; but they will sometimes approach adventurers with an offer to purchase unusual magical items for study.

Our love for freedom is simply expressed
in releasing what is hidden inside the stone

—Laene saying

ECOLOGY: Laene are omnivorous, but must also consume metallic ores or even processed metals; a variety of metals are required, but the laene can usually acquire all of them by absorption from its passwall gel. Small amounts of mithril are left behind as a byproduct of laene passage, which builds up over time into mithriol seams. Substitute mithril for platinum in the treasure table. Laene use this precious metal along with high quality gems for use in crafting magical items and jewellery.

VARIANTS: Laene who breed with dwarves produce offspring of the durin subrace; laene-gnome crosses are odsognor.

Stats: Netbook of Celestials [2e] (eladrin – laene)

Source: Galen, Margarita and Jon Winter-Holt.