Monster of the Week: Mephit Mischief

His name was Ozzy.
  Perched on the cracked navy railing, his spike of a nose slick with mud, he flexed his dripping wings and rocked back and forth.  Viscous tendrils of wet earth leaked from his shifting form, coiling down the bars of the crib and soaking into the edges of the sheets below.  He tilted his head at the giggling creature swaddled in fine cloth, the deep motes of gold within his eye sockets darting along its details, like flecks of glowing sand drifting above a campfire in the night sky.  
There wasn't much time.  Little Ozzy could feel the rumble in his body, an early warning of the coming quake.  Bubbling gently, he extended his dripping arms around the half-elven babe and pulled her close to him.  When the house shook he hardened his wings for flight - he only had a few seconds to honor this bargain.  When the glass shattered, he soared out, his greedy tail snatching a necklace as he went, and disappeared into the sunlight.  Its warmth would ensure the child's safety, at least until he could deliver her to his master.  "You will persist, tiny elf," he bubbled in Terran, "Too important you will be..."

Creatures Of Two Planes

Mephits are imp-like creatures of mischief and chaos forged in the elemental planes.  They prefer to dwell in places where their base elements are prevalent, so a Mud Mephit may reside in the plane of earth or water, while a Magma Mephit adores earth and fire.  As pairings go, the Elemental Chaos has forged six slices of these little critters.

DUST - composed of earth and air, Dust Mephits are drawn to death.  Adventurers can encounter them in deep catacombs, deadly streets, or in the eye of a shredding sandstorm.

ICE - a creature born of frigid air and water, an Ice Mephit is devoid of pity.  Aloof and cold, they show little mercy or compassion to those around them.

MAGMA - dangerous to the touch, a Magma Mephit is comprised of earth and fire.  Considered the least intelligent, they are slow to understand commands and are often used as living walls of molten death by more cunning creatures.

​MUD -  slow creatures of earth and water, Mud Mephits are full of complaints and seek endless attention and treasure, stuffing the little trinkets inside their warping bodies.

SMOKE - crude and lazy, Smoke Mephits billow constantly.  Though they are often gifted with superior speech, they like to use it to spin lies and lead creatures astray.

STEAM - nearly ethereal in sight, Steam Mephits can be tracked by the trails of hot water they leave behind.  Fire and water yield bossy and self-absorbed creatures, and each will tend to appoint themselves lord of all other mephits.

By The Numbers

From a technical side, a Mephit on its own doesn't pose much threat.  They have a decent hit point load for their CR (around 20 HP), but a low AC (10-12).  However, Mephits aren't usually alone, and those that are tend to have a powerful master nearby.  Throw in that many carry the variant ability to summon extra Mephits when they get hurt, and tend to explode in a dangerous bubble when they die, and you have a serious situation on your hands for low-level adventurers.  
  Each has their own breath weapon that can recharge (1/6 chance, but you know), some have nasty innate spell casting (Heat Metal, watch out!), and at least four of the six types can blend into their surroundings, waiting for a deadly ambush.  Remember, especially in 5th Edition D&D, an army of squirrels is still an army.  That's why they call it a "death of a thousand cuts."

Mephits In Io

Though a mephit will give off the air of a fiend, it is important to bear in mind their elemental origins.  Though they are each born of the Elemental Chaos, they are, in fact, neutral beings.  They can be reasoned with, summoned, employed, tricked, and otherwise used.  Some are smarter than others, and hold specific traits built on their element, but a knowledgeable combatant can exploit these factors to their benefit, such is the case in the parallel planes of shadow and fey that flank our material world in Ionian Lore.

In The Ionian Shadowfell

Dust and Smoke find great meaning in Ionian Shadowfell, as both can be easily satiated by the natural surroundings, but they are certainly not alone.  Given a Mephit's ability to squeeze, melt, and morph, they are highly suited and trainable in acts of espionage, information, and theft.  It is this practice that birthed the Smoke and Shard - a Mephit spy network created by a vampire lady in the Court Of Whispers.
  Even the Mud Mephit's greed can be entwined into valuable service.  A Mud Mephits for treasure and reward gives it purpose in its employ, and it can promised boons and glittering prizes for tasks and services.  Though slower than the cruelest among them, a Mud Mephit, given enough time, can be trained well to serve a single master, as long as that master has kept their promises of treasure.  Given the immortal nature of a mephit, as steadfast as the element that creates them, a master with a similar lifespan and the correct resources could secure a loyal servant indefinitely.  When considering the vampire Court that rules the Ionian Shadowfell, such service would be invaluable... 

In The Ionian Feywild

Mephits carry the mischief they love through the veil of the Fey, and it is amplified.  They tend to join the ranks of sprytes, nymphs, and dryads that align with their elements, which pulls them toward the Fey Courts and Curtain Compendium.  The Erlking and lords of the Wild Hunt have little need for their simple nature, but Steam and Ice Mephits find great service in Court of Winter, happy to punish those that would insult their Queen.  Magma and Mud drift in packs to toward The Reach, auroras of light where the Elemental Chaos and the Astral Sea pierce the vibrant and endless sunset of the Feywild sky.  Dust and Smoke find sanctuary in the Willowoods, surrounded by spirits and starlight.

So when you see that precarious mound of magma just sitting there in your path, think twice about kicking it.  You just might upset all of its brothers.  
Tread carefully.
​-Adamus