Coralid
by Mike HarveyCoralid is similar to a geonid but resembles coral, skinny and branching like an antler, about halfling sized. They appear in many bright colors and are able to blend into the environment, becoming virtually undetectable and surprising on 1-4. They do not use weapons, but their "fingers" are like needles and as hard as stone. Coralids are very hard but can be broken; they grow very slowly and it takes forever to replace a lost limb. They move slowly. Coralids seem to be made of animated stone. If they die, or if they do not move voluntarily, they are completely inflexible and indistiguishable from coral. A known tactic is to wrap a strangling hand around the neck of an enemy; if the coralid is killed, the hand cannot be removed! They can also use their sharp fingers to skewer deep into the body, again causing a big problem if the coralid is killed that way. Despite apparently being animated stone, they are actually living things not constructs. They can "see" and "hear" in some inscrutable way (they are unaffected by darkness) but cannot speak. (HD 2, AC 1, MV 30, attack: claws 1-10, AL: L or N)
Brain Coralids resemble brain coral and are much larger, and highly intelligent. Like geonids they have arms and legs that extend from an opening at the bottom. Brain Coralids serve as sages and priests to regular coralids, and may either be magic users or druids. They are able to communicate telepathically with other coralids within 200 ft, commanding and organizing their tribe, so that the whole operates sort of like a hive mind with a central intelligence. There is never more than one brain coralid in a tribe. If the brain coralid dies the rest of the tribe will lose cohesion and wander off into the sea; nobody knows where they go. (HD 5-9, AC -1, attack by spell, AL L or N).
Coralids only live in warm tropical waters, preferring to live in shallow waters among the coral beds, which they tend. They don't know why they tend coral, only that it is their "purpose." Some sages speculate they are guardian spirits of the coral, or some sort of undersea faerie race. They are friendly with all coral-loving fish and often have weeds or anemones growing on them. They have no known predators. It is unknown how (or if) they reproduce. They are much beloved by tritons, and sometimes have a relationship with them similar to brownies or leprechauns.
Coralids are innately Lawful and peaceful, but may become hostile and aggressive toward those that threaten or abuse coral. Some tribes have become Neutral and unfriendly due to many bad experiences with intruders.