If an AD&D® game campaign makes use of the information on ioun stones in this issue's "Bazaar of the Bizarre," the adventurers might plan expeditions aimed at obtaining a large batch of these powerful crystals. Only the strongest adventurers will withstand the rigors of such a quest. Survival in the elemental plane of Earth is difficult, and the quasi-elemental plane of Mineral is even more dangerous due to the proximity of the Positive Material plane.
In order to add flavor to such a quest, this article contains details on several creatures that are unique to the realm of Mineral: the glomus, shard, spined shard, chamrol, energy pod, and trilling crysmal. Each creature presents an adventuring group with different dangers whenever it is encountered - which will occur frequently, especially if the party has taken gems or ioun stones without permission during its visit.
Whenever an elemental guide is summoned in the quasi-plane of Mineral, a shard almost always answers the call (85%). Rarely, a trilling crysmal answers the summons (10%); very rarely, a spined shard appears (5%). The adventurers must be prepared to negotiate with their intended guide, offering gifts in the form of rare minerals or valuable gems.
Other encounters will occur during the journey. Consult the following chart:
| 1d20 | Result |
|---|---|
| Glomus | |
| Chamrol (only in the Positive Material boundary; otherwise a shard) | |
| Quasi-elemental of Mineral | |
| Spined shard | |
| Energy pod | |
| Trilling crysmal | |
| Shard |
Most of these creatures are never found outside of their home plane unless summoned by wizards or sent on a special mission by Crystalle, their quasi-elemental liege. The only plane that they can freely enter is their parent plane, the elemental plane of Earth. "Frequency" in the descriptions is given for both non-Mineral plane areas and Mineral plane areas (the latter is in parentheses); this also applies to "Treasure" entries.
All of these creatures have the abilities and immunities common to creatures of the inner planes (see Manual of the Planes[1], appendix II, pages 120-121). While on their home plane, these creatures are immune to all spells that affect solid matter (disintegrate, transmute rock to mud, move earth, stone to flesh, etc.), and each has the ability to cast passwall at will. These are called "elemental abilities."
Habitat/Society: As with many of the inhabitants of the quasi-elemental planes, little is known or can be conjectured about the social life of these beings. Many serve Crystalle (described later), but they only rarely serve any other master unless under duress. Nothing is known about the reproductive cycle of these creatures.
Ecology: As all of these beings feed upon positive energy which is boundless in their habitat, their life cycles have no appreciable effect on the environment. As elemental beings, they will act to preserve their environment, and will attack anyone they feel is harming it.
Any DM wishing to take a group of adventurers to the Mineral plane should familiarize himself with all of the information dealing with the three planes that will be traveled through: the Ethereal plane (Manual of the Planes, pages 11-21), the elemental plane of Earth (Manual of the Planes, pages 41-45), and the quasielemental planes (Manual of the Planes, pages 55-59). All of these sections have information dealing with encounters, creatures, spell-casting, and the effects of these planes on magical items.
Archivist's footnotes
- Manual of the Planes is a 1st Edition rulebook. Some other books to look at are 2635 Planescape III, and other Planescape series books.