What can be considered distrubing to an earth elemental?

[amyhart420]

Okay so I'm getting ready to run a brand new campaign for some player and I am using a modified campaign mixing both "The deadly Mine" and "Black Fang's Dungeon" for the plays to run. In my process of editing the campaign to match the player I found something interesting that I wpuld like some opinions on. In the deadly mine the "Boss" monster is a earth elemental who is basically soaking himself in some gold ore similar to a overworked mother at a sauna. The notes read, "it enjoys the feel and "smell" of the gold ore, and is content to stay there unless it is disturbed." The point of the mission is to rescue some dwarves and the dwarf in the area is 15ft from the elemental. In a previous area it has that if the character make a lot of noise the elemental will be alerted, this to me leads to it is distrubed. But what if they don't make noise? The adventure implies that the fight is going to start almost right away but from my perspective, it is possible that if the players are quiet and just come in and collect the dwarf, they could entirely skip this fight. What are your opinions on this? And what else do you think would disturb the elemental? Would a certain distance make it attack?

[NobodysHome]

OK, since no one else is responding, I'll get out out of my system, then answer.

"What can be considered disturbing to an earth elemental?"
"Bea Arthur in a bikini."

OK. I'm done.

Now, everything you wrote above indicates that, no matter what I say, you're going to do the right thing. The whole point of being a GM is to provide a visceral, realistic world in which the players immerse themselves.

So you're right, having an earth elemental sitting there, taking a bath and relaxing, it makes little sense for him to get upset if they are careful.

Treat it like any other large, dangerous creature. If a grizzly bear is sniffing around in the woods, finds a nice spot to roll in, and starts lolling around, then spots you out of easy reach, moving slowly and carefully, and obviously not looking to bother it, is it going to attack? It depends on its mood, but more likely than not it'll just let you go on your way and enjoy its roll.

So I think you're spot-on: If the PCs take the time to be stealthy, take the long way around so that they don't just go tromping through his "tub", and don't start arming up and buffing in an obvious attempt to kill him, I'd leave the elemental to his bath.

[Dr Styx]

op wrote:

"Boss" monster is a earth elemental who is basically soaking himself in some gold ore.

The point of the mission is to rescue some dwarves and the dwarf in the area is 15ft from the elemental.

If the Elemental is keeping the Dwarf locked up, moving it would disturbing. Although if they had more gold ore from the mine to give to the Elemental, it may let them take the Dwarf.

[Duskrunner1]

Dont forget that earth elementals have tremorsense. So unless those PCs are flying that elemental will know that they are there, if they are within range.

[amyhart420]

Thanks for the responses.

Thanks I see you're getting where I'm coming from.

And no the Dwarf is not locked up, just stable at -2hp. Him and his partners tried to take the gold ore, and thus disturbing the elemental.

Thanks I hadn't noticed that. So basically this will help to keep him from being surprised by them if they do disturb him.

I know what I'm going to do now so thanks so much for the input.

[Drahliana Moonrunner]

Here's the question... do you want the combat to happen?

If so, than the mere PRESENCE of the characters disturbs the elemental.

You probably won't have to go that far... just tempt them with all that loose gold and they probably won't even notice the elemental hidden beneath it.

[Vic Wertz]

Duskrunner1 wrote:

Dont forget that earth elementals have tremorsense. So unless those PCs are flying that elemental will know that they are there, if they are within range.

The Beginner Box doesn't introduce tremorsense, but the earth elemental does still have darkvision 60 ft. and Perception +7, so it's nevertheless going to be challenging to sneak past.