Wirchler Small Outsider (Evil, Extraplanar, Fire, Psionic) Hit Dice: 6d8+6 (33 hp) Initiative: +7 Speed: Fly 50 ft. (perfect)(10 squares) Armor Class: 21 (+1 size, +7 Dex, +3 natural), touch 18, flat-footed 14 Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+2 Attack: Claw +7 melee (1d6) Full Attack: 2 claws +7 melee (1d6) and bite +5 melee (2d6) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Psi-like abilities, wirching Special Qualities: Craft firegem, darkvision 60 ft., flight, immunity to acid and fire, vulnerability to cold Saves: Fort +6, Ref +12, Will +7 Abilities: Str 10, Dex 24, Con 13, Int 8, Wis 11, Cha 21 Skills: Autohypnosis +11, Concentration +10, Knowledge (arcana) +8, Knowledge (the planes) +8, Psicraft +8, Spot +9, Tumble +16 Feats: Ability Focus (wirching), Iron Will, Multiattack Environment: Bleak Eternity of Gehenna Organization: Solitary or wirching (2-10) Challenge Rating: 4 (6 with firegem) Treasure: No coins; standard goods (fire opals only); no items (unless firegem, see below) Alignment: Always lawful or neutral evil Advancement: 7-18 HD (Small) Level Adjustment: -
A disembodied mouth filled with long, protruding teeth flits about in the air. A pair of long and scrawny hair-covered arms protrude from its cheeks.
Wirchlers are foul denizens that inhabit the fiery portions of Gehenna. Named for the sound created when the gnash their teeth (which sounds like "wiiiirrrrccchhhhh"), they thrive on inflicting pain and savor the dying screams of their victims. They are known to trade firegems (see below) to night hags for larvae to torture.
A wirchler is about 4 feet in diameter and weighs 15 pounds.
Wirchlers speak Abyssal and Infernal.
A wirchler can be summoned via a summon monster IV spell.
COMBAT
If encountered in a group, four wirchlers generally begin wirching, while any remaining wirchlers use their mind thrust powers on unaffected creatures.
Craft Firegem (Su): A wirchler can create a firegem (see below) as though it had the necessary feats and prerequisite spells or other requirements.
Flight (Ex): A wirchler's body is naturally buoyant. This buoyancy allows it to fly at a speed of 50 feet. This buoyancy also grants it a permanent feather fall effect (as the spell) with personal range.
Psi-Like Abilities: At will—-mental barrier, mind thrust (6d10, DC 18*); 3/day-—intellect fortress. Manifester level 6th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.
- Includes augmentation for the wirchler's manifester level.
Wirching (Su): To use this ability, four or more wirchlers rub their teeth together, resulting in their namesake sound. After a full round of wirching, all creatures within 60 feet of any wirchler currently wirching must succeed on a DC 20 Will save or fall to the ground screaming and writhing for as long as the wirching continues. Affected creatures are considered to be helpless. Even with a successful save, a creature must save each round it remains in the area. For each hour of continuous exposure to wirching, an affected creature suffers 1 point of damage. For every three hours of exposure, a victim suffers one point of Intelligence drain. Every four hours a victim suffers one point of Wisdom drain, and every five hours one point of Charisma drain.
At least four wirchlers will continue to wirch until all victims are dead. If damaged, a wirchler must succeed on a Concentration check (DC equals damage dealt) to continue wirching. Evil outsiders are immune to this ability. This is a sonic, mind-affecting ability. The save DC is Charisma-based.
FIREGEM
Wirchlers possess the ability to create a wondrous item known as a firegem from fire opals. The creation of these items is time-consuming, and wirchlers often trade firegems with night hags for larvae, so there is only a 30% chance that a wirchler will possess a firegem. Summoned wirchlers never carry firegems.
Firegem: This woundrous item resembles a fire opal. Upon utterance of a command word, the crystal emits one of the following fire effects.
One command word causes the gem to shoot a cone of flames, as the burning hands spell. This use of the gem expends 2 charges. Another command word causes the firegem to release a fireball (as the spell). This use of the gem expends 5 charges. The third command word wards an item touched with a fire trap (as the spell). This use expends 5 charges.
A newly created firegem has 50 charges. When all its charges are expended, the gem becomes nonmagical. Moderate evocation; CL 6th; Craft Wondrous Item, burning hands, fireball, fire trap; Price 13,000 gp.
Greater firegems are rumored to exist. These firegems reportedly function as gems of seeing as long as at least 1 charge remains. Additionally, they can release all remaining charges to to create an incendiary cloud that lasts for a number of rounds equal to half the remaining charges.
Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #47 (1981).