Balhiir

A balhiir was a magic-absorbing creature from the negative Energy plane.
==Description==
Balhiir appeared to be softly-glowing clouds with sparkles of light within, about .
==Behavior==
Balhiir approached concentrations of magic, and consumed them by simple contact. In their home Negative Energy plane, they could also consume other forms of energy. It was believed that if balhiir had a guiding intelligence, it had to be too alien to comprehend.
==Abilities==
On their own, balhiir possessed little power beyond that which they had to absorb energy. When they absorbed too much, they eliminated the excess as heat and light. They could pass through any aperture over in diameter in their search for energy; they supped on magic by simple contact, steadily draining the energy from items. The creature could sense magic and life forms up to The distance is shown in "inches" and assumed to refer to tactical distances as default in AD&D 1e. Given the reference to obstacles such as solid rock, indoors distances are assumed. In such distances, 1" refers to 10'. away, even through solid rock; it also passively absorbed any magic unleashed within of it.
==Combat==
Balhiir were very difficult to engage in combat, as no physical weapon could harm them. The usual method to strike them down involved the use of too many spells of too much power cast quickly enough to overwhelm their ability to absorb and release energy safely. They could also be bound with magic, in which case their behaviours were modified.
In their home plane, balhiir were capable of absorbing lifeforce as well as magic.
==Ecology==
Those that became bound to an object were believed to change behaviour upon release, and that it was only those who released them that could bind them again. A person who released a balhiir somehow could also bind them into themselves, and attempt to absorb their power; upon doing so, if they did not immediately die from absorbing the balhiir's power, they'd temporarily gain the ability to unleash spellfire. They were at risk of death again once the balhiir's power ran out, however. The process to bind a balhiir was largely unknown; when Narm Tamaraith performed it under Elminster's guidance, it involved casting any spell on the person who had released the balhiir, Shandril Shessair for their particular case.
Balhiir that ran out of power went into hibernation. Some sages suspected they may have been the natural predator of the xeg-yi.
==History==
The usual way of destroying a balhiir, per Elminster, required five mages tearing it apart telekinetically; the process likely killed many of them.
Erimmator, a mage of the Cult of the Dragon, bound a balhiir to an enemy mage, Garthond Shessair, on or around If Shandril is 17 winters old at the end of Spellfire, she would have been conceived sometime around 1339. for the purpose of draining his foe's magic. Years later, Elminster came to suspect it was an experiment to test whether Garthond's offspring would be born with the ability to unleash spellfire.
Shandril Shessair released a balhiir in from a balhiir-globe she smashed into the face of the Shadowsil, an enemy sorceress, while trapped in the lair of the dracolich Rauglothgor; the balhiir then disrupted the magic of the sorceress, the dracolich, the Knights of Myth Drannor, and of Narm Tamaraith. The balhiir was recognized by Florin Falconhand, who also revealed the superstition only the one who released the balhiir could slay it. The balhiir also annihilated the dracolich's phylactery, and much of the magic in the hoard. Prompted by Elminster and with the aid of Narm Tamaraith, who employed the belch cantrip upon her to draw the balhiir's attention, she bound it back upon herself, awakening her latent spellfire in the process.
The Shadowsil escaped and warned Aghazstamn of the balhiir, when seeking his aid against the Knights of Myth Drannor. After the battle, Elminster was surprised by the power the balhiir had absorbed, but then judged Shandril released far more power than the creature could have possibly been holding; he later confirmed she became able to use spellfire independently of the balhiir.
==Appendix==
===Notes===
===Appearances===
===External Links===
===References===
Category:Inhabitants of the Negative Energy Plane
Category:Creatures
Category:Creatures that consume magical energy
Category:Creatures that consume positive energy