Mercurial Slime

by Hades

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Mercurial Slime

Deep beneath the surface of the known world, cavities of the earth are filled with ancient enigmatic creatures. These particular oozian specimens were once mundane single-celled organisms spawned from demonic magic eons ago, however after exposure to dribbling quicksilver from one of the veins of the earth, these slimes would undergo a total metamorphosis, transmogrifying their physiology into that of an animated blob of liquid metal.

Adaptable. As apart of the metallic transformation, the mercurial slime has quickly figured out the many boons that come with its shapeshifting body, including the heightened defenses that come with the form. Physical assaults against its steel membrane are largely ineffective if the slime anticipates the blow, however even when caught off guard, it still seems to be able to shrug off strikes more easily than other harmful outputs. Because of its unique material composition, it also yields interesting interactions with the prime elements, displaying significant shifts in property when exposed to certain fonts of energy.

Metal Seekers. While the diets of oozes typically are composed of organic life, such as fungus, vegetation, or meat, the mercurial slime is capable of digesting ferrous metals into its cytoplasm, fortifying its organelles. After enough metal materials have been consumed by the slime, it will find a quiet area to undergo a daylong period of mitosis, splitting up to 2-4 times.

Ooze Nature. An ooze doesn’t require sleep.

Spellcraft

Due to the unique properties of the Mercurial Slime's metal ooze, it can be used in a large array of metallurgy, artificery, and spellcraft. When used as a material component, it can be used for spells such as detect poison and disease, enlarge/reduce, simulacrum, and stoneskin, as well as totally new incantations such as snapshot as detailed below.

Snapshot

1st-level divination

  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: Self
  • Components: V, M (mercury-based paint and a blank canvas worth 10 gp)
  • Duration: Instantaneous
  • Classes: Artificer, Bard, Wizard

You utter an arcane word, capturing a moment in time from your perspective within a blank canvas you’ve touched within the last 8 hours that is on the same plane of existence as you that is used as the material component. The canvas is instantly painted over with enchanted pigments, perfectly depicting everything you were seeing the moment you cast the spell.

A creature that uses its action to examine the painting can determine that it is magically created with a successful Intelligence (Investigation) check against your spell save DC.

At Higher Levels: If you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, invisible creatures and objects appear in the painting. If you use a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, any illusion or magical darkness is dispelled in the painting, and any shapechangers or other creatures transformed by magic are revealed in their native forms in the painting.

Mercurial Slime

Medium ooze, typically unaligned

  • Armor Class 17 (Natural Armor)
  • Hit Points 76 (9d8 + 36)
  • Speed 20 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
17 (+3) 6 (-2) 18 (+4) 2 (-4) 6 (-2) 2 (-4)
  • Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing, Slashing
  • Condition Immunities Blinded, Charmed, Deafened, Exhaustion, Frightened, Grappled, Prone, Restrained
  • Senses Blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), Passive Perception 8
  • Languages —
  • Challenge 6 (2,300 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3

Amorphous. The mercurial slime can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing.

Conductive. If the mercurial slime takes lightning damage, it partially stores the electrical energy; a creature that touches the slime or hits it with a melee attack while within 5 feet of it takes 3 (1d6) lightning damage until the end of its next turn.

Freezing Point. If the mercurial slime takes cold damage, it partially freezes; its speed is halved and it gains a +3 bonus to AC until the end of its next turn.

Legendary Resistance (1/Day). If the mercurial slime fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.

Toxic Element. If the mercurial slime takes fire damage, it partially sublimates into toxic airborne vapor; each creature within 10 feet of the slime must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or take 7 (2d6) poison damage and have their lifespan reduced by 1d4 years.

Actions

Multiattack. The mercurial slime makes two attacks with its Malleable Pseudopod or it makes one attack with its Malleable Pseudopod and uses Impaling Burst.

Malleable Pseudopod. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (3d6 + 3) bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage. Depending on the damage type chosen, the attack gains an additional effect:

  • • Bludgeoning: The slime can push the target to an unoccupied space within 10 feet of it, provided the target is no more than one size larger than it.
  • • Piercing: The slime deals an additional 1d6 piercing damage and can reroll any 1's rolled on the damage dice.
  • • Slashing: The slime reduces the speed of the target by half.

Impaling Burst. The mercurial slime extends deadly spikes around its entire form. Each creature within 10 feet must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw. A creature takes 14 (4d6) piercing damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one.

Reactions

Adaptive Membrane. If the mercurial slime takes bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage, it can gain immunity to the triggering damage type until the end of its next turn.

Spell Reflection. If the mercurial slime makes a successful saving throw against a spell, or a spell attack misses it, the slime can choose another creature (including the spellcaster) it can see within 60 feet of it. The spell targets the chosen creature instead of the slime. If the spell forced a saving throw, the chosen creature makes its own save. If the spell was an attack, the attack roll is rerolled against the chosen creature.

Quicksilver Symbiote

Wondrous item, legendary (requires attunement)

This mercurial slime has been biomantically modified to form a symbiotic relationship with any creature that imprints its blood with the slime. As apart of attuning to this item, you must take 1 point of damage and ingest the slime. Once you've attuned to this item, your remaining lifespan is halved due to its toxic properties. A greater restoration or wish spell can cure this affliction once you have unattuned to the item.

Mercurial Form. While you're attuned to the symbiote, you can use a bonus action to cover your body in quicksilver, gaining the following benefits:

  • You have resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.
  • You gain a natural AC of 18.
  • You gain a reach of 10 feet.
  • Your speed increases by 10 feet.
  • You can move through any space as narrow as 1 inch without squeezing, and you can spend 5 feet of movement to escape from nonmagical restraints or being grappled.
  • You can transform your limbs into natural melee weapons that deal 2d6 bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage. They also gain a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with them.
  • You sprout two tendrils that fire sharpened shards of mercury, acting as natural ranged weapons with a range of 30/90 that deal 1d12 piercing damage. They also gain a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with them.
  • When you take damage from a creature that is within 10 feet of you, you can use your reaction to make a weapon attack against that creature.
  • You can attack twice, instead of once, when you take the Attack action on your turn. You ignore this benefit if you already have a feature, like Extra Attack, that gives you extra attacks.

This form lasts for 10 minutes. It ends early if you are knocked unconscious or you choose to end it as a bonus action. Once you use this property, you must finish a long rest before you can use it again.

Enhanced Senses. You gain blindsight out to 30 feet and a +3 bonus to initiative.

Dormant Sentience. The symbiote by default is a mindless single-celled organism that bends to your will. Due to its biomantic modifications however, it is able to be targeted by an awaken spell. If this spell is cast on it, it gains sentience and a personality as decided by your GM.

Mercurial Key

Wondrous item, rare (requires attunement)

This silver key has been forged from magic-infused mercury extracted from an adaptive ooze. The key's head when closely observed can be seen constantly shifting its design.

This key can be used as thieves' tools for the purposes of opening locks. You have a +1 bonus to ability checks made with these tools, as well as advantage on Stealth ability checks made while picking a lock.

While holding the key, you can use a bonus action to speak the key's command word and transform it into a magical dagger. The dagger has a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with it. While this item is within 60 feet of you, you can use a bonus action to summon it to your hand.

Pocket Armory

Rod, uncommon

This metal rod is 8 inches in length with a compartment that stores malleable quicksilver, capable of rapidly forming weapons at the wielder's whim.

While holding the rod, you can use a bonus action to speak the name of a melee weapon and transform it into the named weapon.

The first time you take the Attack action on your turn, you can increase the transformed weapon’s range by 5 feet for one attack.