Lead Elementals - The Walking Spellbane

Elementals are a personal favourite creature type that I've covered at length on this blog. There's always more stories to be told about the interesting creature type. It's archetypal in fantasy and science fiction. It's immensely terrifying to see a towering presence made of crunching stones or swirling flames.

There are more things which constitute an element. The classics; air, earth, fire, and water, are the pillars of ancient alchemy. The belief that magical means could turn any metal into gold enchanted thinkers across the world, but that expanded what they considered elements. That means I could expand what could count as an elemental.

Lead Elementals

The Lead smelting hot and alive from the bowels of the world - Igneous Elemental by Anastasia Ovchinnikova

Lead is a strange, sturdy metal that has a storied history in our world as well as the many worlds of Dungeons and Dragons. It started out as the building material for plumbing in Ancient Rome, until they realised how poisonous lead could be. This ancient use is why it's symbol is Pb in the periodic table, after Plumbum in Latin.

In both science and magic, lead blocks a lot of radiation and energy. A thin sheet of lead can block modern scanning techniques and most detection spells. There's a strength to deflect energy inherent to lead.

Lead elementals have the blocky shape and overall strength comparable to earth. They are native to high heat areas between fire and earth, smelting in high heat. Their shapes can vary between humanoid to almost bestial.

Lead Elemental Stats Generated with Homebrewery

Due to lead's reflective, nullifyung nature to magic, the lead elemental also reflects and nullifies certain kinds of magic, particularly directed towards it. Some effects reflect away from it. The reactions of lead elementals in the presence of certain spells is unique, and many nullmages and wizards preoccupied with defensive magic are eagerly involved in studying lead elementals to learn how best to defend against unknowable magic.

Lead Footed

The ability to sap, and distort the magical energy in a given area is a strange and unique property of the lead elemental. This makes them a formiddable threat to a party reliant on magic. I personally enjoy watching my party squirm. They make for a wonderful wandering monster in truly extreme climates.

Now we want to hear from you. How do you imagine the magical dulling effects of the lead elemental to affect your players? Are elementals based on the alchemical metals something you foresee using in your games? Let us know in our discord server or in the comments below.

Adam Ray contributes much for adventurers here on Apotheosis Studios. As co-founder of fantasticuniverses.com, he writes about card gaming and PC gaming to a corner of the internet he carved out himself. On Youtube, he can be found game mastering for No Ordinary Heroes, or editing the antics on The Hostile Atmosphere. Follow his Twitter @IzzetTinkerer.