Duwenden

Duwenden CR 2

XP 800
CE Diminutive fey (swarm)
Init +8; Senses darkvision 30 ft.; Perception +6

DEFENSE

AC 23, touch 14, flat-footed 14 (+8 Dex, +1 dodge, +4 size)
hp 20 (4d8)
Fort +3, Ref +12, Will +9
Defensive Abilities natural invisibility, swarm traits
Immune magic

OFFENSE

Speed fly 50 ft. (perfect)
Melee swarm (1d6 electricity)
Special Attacks magical blindness, swarm

STATISTICS

Str 1, Dex 26 (+8), Con 10, Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 14
Base Atk +3; CMB -10; CMD 12
Feats Alertness, Blind-Fight, Dodge, Improved Initiative, Weapon Finesse
Skills Acrobatics +21, Bluff +11, Escape Artist +21, Fly +31, Perception +17, Stealth +25
Languages Common, Sylvan
Special Abilities magical blindness
Weaknesses skree lichen

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Natural Invisibility (Ex)

Duwende have the ability to extinguish their natural glow as a move action, effectively becoming invisible, as per the spell.

Ectoplasm Splash

When a duwende swarm is killed, it explodes, spraying hot ectoplasm over a 5-foot area. All creatures within this range must succeed at a DC 16 Reflex check to avoid 1d6 fire damage.

Magical Blindness

If a Duwende successfully performs a critical strike against an opponent, in addition to added damage, the victim must successfully make a DC 18 Fortitude check or become blind for 1d4 rounds.

Blindness

The creature cannot see. It takes a –2 penalty to Armor Class, loses its Dexterity bonus to AC (if any), and takes a –4 penalty on most Strength– and Dexterity-based skill checks and on opposed Perception skill checks. All checks and activities that rely on vision (such as reading and Perception checks based on sight) automatically fail. All opponents are considered to have total concealment (50% miss chance) against the blinded character. Blind creatures must make a DC 10 Acrobatics skill check to move faster than half speed. Creatures that fail this check fall prone.

Mesmerizing Swarm

The glowing spectrals of a duwende swarm distract spellcasters. Before performing any spell, a caster must succeed at a DC 14 Concentration check.

ECOLOGY

Environment any underground caverns and water passageways
Organization swarm (300-500) or colony (2,000-5,000)
Treasure incidental

The duwende is a tiny fey creature with luminescent wings. Duwende colonies consist of sterile females (the workers or soldiers), some fertile males (drones) and one or more fertile females called “queens”. Duwenden feed exclusively on ectoplasm derived from draining the life-force of plants in their vicinity, and it is this ectoplasm that allows them to glow.

Duwenden will swarm when the colony becomes oversized; the old queen leaves the colony taking about half of population with her while the younger queen stays behind. Swarming usually occurs in late spring or early summer, always at midnight.

Duwenden are generally not dangerous unless a queen is being threatened, in which case a lightning spell is an effective defense. Encounters with duwende are generally with the worker class.

They are usually harmless but may be mischievous and have been known to lead travelers astray rather than to safety. Sightings of a solitary duwende should be treated as an indication that a swarm is nearby.

Components

When used as an optional material component, the ectoplasm left behind by a duwende affects evocation [Light] spells as if cast using Enlarge Spell without increasing the spell’s level or casting time.