Well Spirit

Medium Fey, Chaotic Neutral

“Some waters grant wishes. Others remember the truth you tried to forget.”

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Armor Class 15 (natural armor)

Hit Points 105 (14d8 + 42)

Speed 0 ft., swim 40 ft., fly 30 ft. (hover)

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STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
10 (+0)	16 (+3)	16 (+3)	14 (+2)	18 (+4)	20 (+5)

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Saving Throws Wis +7, Cha +8

Skills Insight +7, Persuasion +8, Stealth +6, Religion +5

Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks

Damage Immunities cold, psychic

Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, grappled, prone, restrained

Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14

Languages Sylvan, Elvish; understands Common

Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)

Proficiency Bonus +3

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Amphibious.

The Well Spirit can breathe both air and water.

Liquid Form.

The spirit can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch without squeezing. It can enter a creature’s space and end its movement there.

Sacred Spring (Regional Effect).

A spring or well bound to the spirit radiates subtle fey magic within a 120-foot radius. While in this area:

• Water is purified and heals 1 hit point per gallon when drunk reverently (once per creature per day).
• Any lie spoken causes the speaker to taste bitter iron.
• Fey creatures have advantage on saving throws against being charmed or frightened.

The effect fades 1d4 days after the spirit is slain or banished.

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Innate Spellcasting (Fey)

The Well Spirit’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 16). It can cast the following spells without material components:

At will: druidcraft, minor illusion, thaumaturgy
3/day each: calm emotions, suggestion, water walk, detect thoughts
1/day each: divination, phantasmal force, dream

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Actions

Drown in Memory (Recharge 5–6).

The spirit targets one creature it can see within 60 feet. The target must succeed on a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or become incapacitated and blinded for 1 minute, overwhelmed by a haunting illusion from its past. The target repeats the save at the end of each turn, ending the effect on a success.

On a successful initial save, the target is frightened until the end of its next turn.

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Waters of Reflection (Recharge 6).

The spirit causes a nearby water source (at least 5 gallons) to reveal a hidden truth or desire to one creature it can see within 30 feet. The target must make a DC 16 Charisma saving throw or become charmed for 1 minute. While charmed in this way, the creature regards the spirit as a trusted confidant and may divulge secrets or lower its guard.

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Mist Veil (1/Day).

The Well Spirit surrounds itself in swirling ethereal mist for 1 minute. While the mist persists:

• The spirit is heavily obscured.
• Attack rolls against it are made with disadvantage.
• The spirit can take the Hide action as a bonus action.
• The mist moves with it and disperses in sunlight or strong wind.

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Reactions

Recoil of Disrespect (1/Day).

When a creature desecrates the well or offers a false gift, the spirit can force that creature to make a DC 16 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 21 (6d6) psychic damage and is stunned until the end of its next turn.

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Tactics & Roleplaying Notes

• Cautious and Elusive: The spirit avoids direct combat, relying on illusion and charm.
• Emotionally Reactive: It responds to sincerity and reverence with kindness, but punishes arrogance or insincerity.
• Bound to Place: It cannot leave the well or spring to which it is tethered unless magically released or exorcised.
• Story Hook Ready: Ideal for quests involving forgotten oaths, cursed springs, or tragic visions of the past.

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Well Spirit

CR 5
XP 1,600
Female Well Spirit
NG Medium fey (water)

“Beneath the surface of still water lies the memory of every wish ever whispered.”

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Defense

AC 19, touch 15, flat-footed 14 (+4 Dex, +1 dodge, +4 natural)
hp 68 (8d6+40)
Fort +7, Ref +10, Will +9
DR 5/cold iron; Immune cold, charm, fear; SR 16

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Offense

Speed 30 ft., swim 40 ft., fly 30 ft. (perfect)
Melee slam +9 (1d6+2 plus emotional drain)
Special Attacks drown in memory, waters of reflection, emotional drain

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 8th; concentration +13)

• At will – dancing lights, detect thoughts (DC 16), guidance, ghost sound
• 3/day – calm emotions (DC 16), suggestion (DC 17), water walk
• 1/day – dream, phantasmal killer (DC 18), divination

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Statistics

Str 10, Dex 18, Con 20, Int 13, Wis 16, Cha 21
Base Atk +4; CMB +4; CMD 19
Feats Dodge, Weapon Finesse, Combat Casting, Spell Focus (Enchantment)
Skills Bluff +13, Diplomacy +13, Knowledge (nature) +10, Perception +12, Sense Motive +12, Stealth +15, Swim +16
Languages Sylvan, Elven; understands Common

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Ecology

Environment temperate forests, sacred springs (Material Plane or First World)
Organization solitary (bound to a sacred well or spring)
Treasure standard

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Special Abilities

Bound to the Well (Ex)
The Well Spirit is mystically tethered to a specific spring or well and cannot stray more than 120 feet from it unless freed by a powerful ritual. While within this range, she gains a +2 bonus on saving throws and caster level checks.

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Drown in Memory (Su)
Once every 1d6 rounds, the spirit can force a creature within 60 feet to confront a buried emotion or unresolved memory. The target must succeed on a DC 18 Will save or become staggered for 1d4 rounds and shaken for 1 minute. This is a mind-affecting emotion effect. A creature that succeeds on the save is immune to this ability for 24 hours.

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Emotional Drain (Su)
A creature struck by the spirit’s slam attack must succeed at a DC 18 Will save or take a –2 penalty on Charisma-based checks for 1 minute, as sorrow and suppressed feelings rise to the surface. This effect stacks up to three times. The penalty ends early if the creature receives magical healing or a full night’s rest.

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Sacred Spring (Su)
The waters guarded by the Well Spirit are imbued with fey magic. A creature that respectfully drinks from the well heals 1d8 hit points and gains a +1 morale bonus on Will saves for 1 hour (once per creature per day). Desecrating the spring (e.g., polluting it or stealing water) curses the offender, imposing a –2 penalty on all saving throws for 24 hours (no save).

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Waters of Reflection (Su)
Once per day, the Well Spirit may cause a creature gazing into nearby water (within 30 feet) to see a vision of a deep personal desire or hidden truth. The creature must succeed at a DC 18 Will save or be affected as though by charm monster for 1 hour. Fey creatures take a –2 penalty on this save. This is a mind-affecting charm effect.

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Tactics

Before Combat
The Well Spirit uses detect thoughts to sense intent, calm emotions to prevent aggression, and suggestion to dissuade hostility.

During Combat
She avoids direct combat, preferring illusion and enchantment. She opens with Drown in Memory to disable key targets and uses her slam attack only as a last resort.

Morale
If reduced below 25 hp, she retreats into the depths of her well. She cannot be pursued unless her spring is desecrated or magically breached.

Well Spirit, Lesser

This towering, watery creature has a vaguely humanoid shape. The waters that make up its form churn and roil.

Originally Posted by Shade of the En World forums.

On this Thread

Well spirits are elemental creatures of nearly godlike intellect. Similar in many ways to water weirds, well spirits are not soothsayers, but do possess the ability to grant wishes of mortals.

Most well spirits are neutral. The rare good-aligned well spirits refuse to grant evil wishes, unless forced to do so under duress. Evil well spirits attempt to pervert the interpretation of the recipient’s wish to further evil endeavors. All well spirits, regardless of alignment, view greedy individuals with contempt, and will attack those that attempt to take their treasure.

Lesser well spirits are 15 feet tall and weigh up to 2,000 pounds.

Lesser well spirits speak Aquan, Auran, Common, Draconic, Ignan, and Terran.

Well Spirit, Lesser
Large Elemental (Extraplanar, Water)
Hit Dice	6d8+12 (39 hp)
Initiative	+2
Speed	40 ft. (8 squares), Swim 60 ft.
Armor Class	18 (-1 size, +2 Dexterity, +7 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 16
Base Attack/Grapple	+4/+11
Attack	Slam +6 melee (2d8+3)
Full Attack	2 slams +6 melee (2d8+3)
Space/Reach	10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks	Drown, improved grab, spell-like abilities
Special Qualities	Consume treasure, damage reduction 5/–, Darkvision 60 ft., elemental traits, immunity to electricity, regeneration 5, vulnerability to fire
Saves	Fort +7, Ref +6, Will +9
Abilities	Strength 17, Dexterity 14, Constitution 15, Intelligence 18, Wisdom 21, Charisma 20
Skills	Diplomacy +16, Knowledge (nature) +13, Knowledge (the planes) +13, Listen +14, Sense Motive +14, Spot +14, Survival +5 (+7 in aboveground natural environments, +8 on other planes), Swim +11
Feats	Iron Will, lightning reflexes, Power Attack
Environment	Elemental Plane of Water
Organization	Solitary
Challenge Rating	5
Treasure	Standard
Alignment	Usually neutral
Advancement	7-12 HD (Large) and see text
Level Adjustment	–

COMBAT

A well spirit attacks by slamming an opponent with its wavelike arms, then attempting to draw it into the rushing waters of its body.

Consume Treasure (Su): A well spirit advances in Hit Dice by consuming treasure. The type (coins, goods, or items) makes no difference, only the gold piece value of the treasure. When a well spirit acquires treasure appropriate for an encounter level equal to its current Hit Dice + 3, it gains 1 Hit Die. For every 3 Hit Dice it advances through consuming treasure the lesser well spirit’s Strength increases by +2 and its natural armor increases by +1. Its attack bonus and saves improve as normal for an elemental of its Hit Dice, and it gains skill points, feats, and
ability score improvements normally.

A well spirit that reaches 13 Hit Dice through consuming treasure immediately becomes a greater well spirit
upon completion of the act.

Drown (Su): A well spirit can draw a held opponent into its fluid body with a successful grapple check. Victims trapped inside the well spirit must succeed on a DC 15 Fortitude save each round or drown (see Water Dangers in the DMG for the effects of drowning) unless they can breathe water. A well spirit is not considered grappled while drowning a victim. A Large well spirit can drown up to 2 Medium, 8 Small or 16 Diminutive smaller creatures.

A trapped victim can attack the well spirit or make additional grapple checks to escape its grasp. The character cannot cast spells with a verbal component or use any other item or ability that requires speech. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a well spirit must hit with a slam attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can attempt to drown its victim.

Regeneration (Ex): Cold and fire deal normal damage to a well spirit.

Spell-Like Abilities: 1/day- grant one limited wish (to non-well spirits only).

Caster level equals Hit Dice.

Skills: A well spirit has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.

Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #42 (1980).