Geonid Geonid Lore History DC 10: The intelligent, cave-dwelling elementals known as geonids have a penchant for collecting unique trinkets, and will often attempt to brazenly "collect" such treasures directly out of the pockets of travelers. Fortunately, they have a unique and alien conception of value, and those with the patience to strike a deal can usually manage to recover their stolen property by trading something not terribly precious to them. History DC 15: Despite their inscrutable affect and reputation as thieves, geonids have a strong sense of reciprocity, and if freely offered gifts will attempt to present something greater in return, though their limited grasp of humanoid needs and values often limits their success. Nature DC 10 Geonids are fairly timid creatures, generally sealing themselves into their boulder-like shells with two hinged plates (called plastrons) whenever they detect movement nearby, making them nearly undetectable to the casual observer. Nature DC 20: Rarely glimpsed but for their reflection, the hard, gleaming eyes of a geonid are set at the tip of maxipedlike appendages within their shell, which they use to grasp food and press it into the whorl of grinding stones that comprises their mouthparts. Geonid Tactics Geonids hide whenever they sense creatures approaching with their tremorsense, ideally waiting until any danger has passed, but their curiosity rarely allows them to stay sealed in their shells for more than a few minutes without peeking, particularly if any nearby creatures have stopped moving. If a creature stops and rests near them, geonids will eventually attempt to creep towards it, moving only when they think it's not looking, and snatch something from it. If the creature becomes agitated they scamper away, but if it attacks they instead try to smash its toes, then drag it into their shells and eat it. If one is slain, each of its allies retreats. Geonid Small elemental, neutral Armor Class 17 (Natural Armor) Hit Points 26 (4d6 + 12) Speed 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 9 (-1) 11 (+0) Skills Perception +4, Stealth +2 Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Tremorsense 30 ft., Passive Perception 14 Languages Terran Challenge 1/4 (50 XP) Boulder Guise. While fully withdrawn into its shell, the geonid can't see and is indistinguishable from a small boulder. Stone Tell. When the geonid touches a stone, it learns the number and type of creatures that have passed within 10 feet of it in the past 24 hours. Actions Furtive Snatch. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: The target is grappled (escape DC 11). While it has a creature grappled in this way, the geonid can't target another creature with attacks or abilities. If the target was already grappled by the geonid, the geonid may instead steal one object it is carrying but not wielding. Grinding Mouthstones. One creature restrained by the geonid's Drag In ability must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or take 5 (2d4) bludgeoning damage, or half as much on a success. Bonus Actions Crush Toes. The geonid lurches its shell heavily onto a creature grappled by it, forcing it to succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or take 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone. Drag In. The geonid attempts to drag a prone creature grappled by it partially into its shell, forcing it to succeed on a DC 11 Strength saving throw or be restrained (escape DC 11). A Small or smaller creature that fails this saving throw is dragged fully into the shell, and while restrained in this way is Blinded, makes checks to escape at disadvantage, and the geonid has vulnerability to damage dealt by it.
Art Credits Geonid by Shawn Wood Bisk, Goblin King by Rae Elderidge I've Got a Subreddit! Want more monsters like this? Come check out r/bettermonsters, where I post all my work. Don't see something there? Drop a request and I'll usually get it to you within a day if I've got something on hand, and I'll shoot you a message when it's ready if not. You Found the Free Books! The Part Where I Shill My Patreon Want to support the creation of content like this? I post new monsters with lore and tactics to my patreon five times a week, joining the more than 1300 already there, indexed in a big PDF along with formats for Foundry and 5eTools.