Mephits

“Small? Yes. Bothersome? Very. But tell me that mephits aren’t dangerous too, boy, and I will never let you live it down.”  - Torgard Cragbane, scolding his squire.

Introduction
Mephits are small, imp-like beings that dwell within the elemental planes. Gathering into small groups and mobs, these capricious tricksters can go from annoyance to deadly foe in an instant the moment their numbers swell.

Physiological Observations
Mephits are small creatures, and at first glance resemble imps. Small, winged, and with lanky limbs that extend from their hunched torso, some have even mistaken mephits for a rare species of imp. The fastest way to distinguish a mephit from an imp, however, is also its most obvious trait. Mephits originate from the Elemental Planes, and because of the diversity of the planes and their environments, mephits follow the same trend.

Mephits come in a variety of elemental types: dust, ice, magma, mud, smoke, and steam. Each element is a combination of two of the more basic elements, with fire, water, air, and earth mephits being ancient ancestors of the modern mixed subspecies of mephits.

Each mephit’s appearance follows their elemental origin, with steam mephits leaving trails of hot air behind their twisting, amorphous bodies, and droplets of lava sticking to the burning skin of magma mephits. Mephits always seek to live in areas that suit their elemental nature, whether it be a swamp for a mud mephit, or a frozen cavern for an ice mephit.

Social Observations
Mephits congregate in large mobs, but usually only ever with their same elemental kin. Each type of mephit demonstrates different trends in personality, and because of this as well as their own selfishness and distrust for others, they tend to gravitate away from other mephits of differing type.

A mephit mob can consist of up to 50 individuals, with no designated leader or roles. Because of this, mephits act within their mobs very independently, almost selfishly. While swarming a target is simple enough, mephits have no hesitations when it comes to retreating and leaving their companions to die amidst the chaos.

Even though mephits are very loose in their organization, those that have the rare ability to summon other mephits stand as pseudo-leaders within their mobs, and these are the only mephits that can force another to obey. Mephits also have no need to eat, drink, or sleep as well, making them very self-sufficient when alone. Some academics theorize that this is why mephits have no true chain of command or power structure, as their needs for survival are very simple and require no cooperation amongst others. Mephit mobs only survive through natural protection from their environments, and a single mephit can move through several mobs during its existence.

Behavioral Observations
Mephits are rude little tricksters, and commonly harass other creatures through mockery, stealing, and occasionally a breath attack if they truly wish to be malicious. Mephits may enjoy annoying others, but they don’t stick around if things seem dangerous. Mephits are selfish and cowardly, preferring safety over glory in combat.

Sometimes mephits become too caught up in their mockery, getting into name-calling fights with other creatures, occasionally at their own peril. It’s this blind rudeness and malice that gives mephits their biggest weakness.

Even though mephits don’t usually know Common, they convey their teasing though Terran and use hand signs and movement.

Intra-Species Observations
Mephits have a great distaste for non-elemental creatures, and even see their fellow elementals as simply dumb, big cousins. Mephits have been known to be used by wizards and sorcerers as familiars but these servants are rarely loyal and never imposing as guards.

Mephits may hate other creatures, but their cowardly nature makes them little more than irritating to the typical creature. It’s when mephits gather as mobs that solitary creatures become more wary.