Elemental Motes

Elemental Motes are tiny elemental spirits, which are bound to a specific location and elemental source. Often created by powerful spellcasters, Motes are bound to protect whatever source of elemental energy (water, earth, fire or air) that they were created from, and return to that element when they die.

Elemental motes are unable to travel more than 50 feet from their source, and are supernaturally tethered to that location. Even if an elemental mote is killed, it will re-emerge from its original source 7 days later, alive and well, resuming its protection of that area.

Elemental Motes cannot be summoned through the “Conjure Minor Elementals” spell, or any way other than the spell Create Elemental Motes, which can be cast by Druids, Sorcerers and Wizards. Traditionally, druids tend more towards Earth and Water Motes, whilst Wizards and Sorcerers prefer Fire and Air Motes (though all three can create all types).

Create Elemental Motes

4th level conjuration (ritual)

Casting time: 1 hour

Range: Touch

Components: V S M (a small glass vial containing the element intended to create, a gemstone related to the element (water: sapphire, fire: ruby, air: diamond, earth: onyx) worth at least 400 gold, which the spell consumes)

Classes: Druid, Sorcerer, Wizard

You touch an elemental source, or something connected to an elemental source (eg. a torch for fire), and focus your energy into it. As you do, the innate energy trapped in that element coalesces into an elemental being, bound to the location. You can treat up to a 10 ft.2 (up to a depth of 5 ft.2) area when you cast this spell, and the amount of area you are focussing on determines the number of Motes you can bind. You can bind 1 mote per 5 ft.2, up to a maximum of 4 Motes (at 4th level). These Motes are bound to the elemental source, and area, they were created from, and can move no further than 50 feet from this point ever. They will protect the area with their lives, and will fight any creature not regarded as friendly by their creator should it come near.

The elemental source that a Mote is created from can not be moved by any means, and doing so would destroy the Motes bound to that location.

At higher levels:

When you cast this with a spell slot of 5th level or higher, you can increase the area treated by 5ft.2 per level of the spell above 4th.

Water Motes

Water Motes are generally created in pools, ponds and lakes to protect that body of water from becoming fouled or polluted. They take the form of small orbs of water, about 8-10 inches across, that can travel through water at a good speed, and can hover slowly through the air. 

A water source with Water Motes bound to it is protected from being poisoned, fouled, or otherwise polluted from any source (mundane or magical). The water can, however, still be destroyed (through the Create/Destroy Water spell, and similar), killing any/all bound motes in the process.

Water Motes will only emerge from their source when a creature, other than their creator, enters or comes into contact with it. When they emerge, they consider any creature within 10 feet of their home to be a threat, and fight with their lives to keep them away. Any attacks made against them are also considered to be at attack against their source.

Water Motes fight by creating a tendril of water from their bodies, and using it to make Lash attacks against invading creatures. They can take certain elemental energy into their bodies as well, and use them in their own attacks. If a water mote is targeted by cold damage from any source, it forms ice crystals in its body which it uses to sharpen its lash with an icy tip. Likewise, if the Water Mote takes fire damage from any source, its body heats up and begins to boil, scalding its targets with its touch alone.

Fire Motes

Fire Motes are usually bound to locations such as active volcanoes, but can often be found in mages towers living within their torches and fireplaces (and any other magical fire source for that matter). They take the form of a small ball of fire, about 5-8 inches in diameter, that hovers in the air, and can fly at surprising speeds considering their size.

A flame protected by a Fire Mote will never burn out naturally, and doubles the distance of the light produced. The fire can still be doused with water and put out other ways.

When a creature, other than the one who summoned the Fire Mote(s) or one of its allies, approaches the source that the motes are bound to, they emerge and fight to protect whatever location they are currently in. They will fight to keep anything from getting within 10 feet of their source. 

Being a creature of pure fire elemental energy, Fire Motes attack by flinging embers at its targets from a distance, and scorching them with its burning body if they get too close. Due to its flame body, it converts any fire damage it takes from any source (except for another Mote) into its body, healing itself, and even allowing it to grow in size.

Earth Motes

Earth Motes can be created anywhere that there is natural earth (they cannot be made from refined or tooled stone), and take the form of a small, rough ball of earth, about 7-8 inches in diameter. Not only can they roll across any ground with ease, but they can aso burrow deep into the ground to hide from attackers.

An area protected by Earth Motes is usually enchanted so as to protect something of importance within (often either a temple, tower or other important landmark/residence). The area it protects weathers slowly, and cannot erode over time or be damaged by natural causes (though can still be damaged through magical means).

Earth Motes remain motionless, under the ground in the area they are bound to, and only show themselves if a creature not friendly to their creator steps within 10 ft. of their elemental source. Any creature that does, however, will find themselves attacked from below by these elemental spirits, which will not relent until dead, or the offending creature moves out of their range.

As creatures of the earth, Earth Motes fight by burrowing underneath their enemies, and bursting upwards. They hurl their own bodies into their foes, and slam into them dealing damage. They are highly resistant to many types of damage, and are hard to hit, whilst they are under the ground. 

Air Motes

Air Motes are created in a space in the air, and are bound to that exact space in the universe. The patch of air where an Air Mote has been created will always remain still, even in high winds, and the air will always be pure and breathable. Air Motes are nearly invisible to the naked eye, and when seen resemble small balls of swirling air currents.

Areas protected by Air Motes tend to have the cleanest, most easily breathable air around, and are unaffected by high winds or storms. Whilst it is impossible to destroy the area in which the Air Motes were created, if a building (or other structure/natural phenomenon) is built/grown in the area the motes are bound to, it is considered destroyed, and the motes are killed.

Generally, Air Motes float in the air in whatever area they have been bound, only attacking if a creature enters their elemental source. After their space is entered, however, the air motes create strong gusts to blow the interlopers away, and strike at them with blades of air. Being made of almost pure air, most attacks simply pass through Air Motes, dealing little to no damage, and often prove difficult to deal with for any but experienced spellcasters.