Sky Snails

Sky snails are key to the mining operation of Amberstone described here.  In addition to the role they play in transporting the large multi-ton blocks of Amberstone out of the mountains, and down to the city of Khomaes, and beyond, the snails are fascinating creature in their own right.

Num Appearing: either 2 (mated pair), or 2d12 (colony)
Alignment: neutral good
Movement: 30' (unless enraged, then it becomes 120')/ fly 30'
Armor Class: 2
Hit Dice: 12 (fully grown)
Num Attacks: 1 (unless enraged, then 3) - this is always 1 acid shot (range 30', and when enraged will also get feeler flails
Damage: acid shot 2d6 (save v. poison or take an additional 1d6 for 1d4 rounds); feeler flails are 2d8
Save: F12 (matching hd)
Morale: 9
Special: Extra attacks (feeler flails) and extra speed only are available when the Sky Snail is enraged, conditions for being enraged described below.
Description: Sky snails are a peculiar breed of giant snail that dwell in and around the crevices and caves of the Cliffs of Cloud.  Their most peculiar visible features are (1) their size (they can get up to 10' across the shell, and perhaps another 4' of extended head, and 4' of extended tail), and (2) their amazing bright color.  It is an intense, and brilliant cobalt blue (in the shell) when fully grown, and a slightly lighter shade for the flesh of the body.  As newly hatched younglings, they are actually white, with shells of only the slightest tint of blue.

In addition to their size and appearance, however, there is another feature of the sky snails that is remarkable.  Their shells have a natural ability to not only levitate, but also to support a vast amount of weight.  These shells retain this ability once the snails are dead, for a period of time (1d6+6 months).  If it were not levitating, the empty shell of a fully grown sky snail would weigh nearly 1000 pounds, but have a weight of nothing because of the magical levitation characteristic.  A fully grown snail shell can also lift a further weight of 2 tons (4000 pounds).

The snails are fairly sedate and lethargic.  They will only attack, unless attacked, in two different circumstances (both of these "enrage" the snails, which raises their movement value to 120').  First, if the young (1hd, AC 6) of a mated pair of sky snails (they mate for life, sharing what wizards describe as a "mild telepathic bond") are threatened in any way, both parents will attack with a fury.  Second, whenever the metals Electrum or Platinum are brought within 100' of a snail, they will attack the source, and seek to voraciously consume the metal.  They do this with their corrosive, acidic body juices.

In addition to being able to move by their normal snail foot motion, the snails can release and from their surface, and fly.  They have an organ that allows them to direct their levitation, allowing them to fly at a 30' rate.  There is not a known limit to how high they can levitate above the surface.  It has been surmised that they could possible reach the moons.

Sky Snail, feeding and protecting its nest near the Nightwash River.