| Climate/Terrain: | Any |  |
| Frequency: | Very rare | |
| Organization: | Solitary | |
| Activity Cycle: | Any | |
| Diet: | Magic | |
| Intelligence: | High (13-14) | |
| Treasure: | Nil | |
| Alignment: | Chaotic neutral | |
| No. Appearing: | 1 | |
| Armor Class: | 10 | |
| Movement: | 6 | |
| Hit Dice: | 9 | |
| THAC0: | 12 | |
| No. of Attacks: | 0 | |
| Damage/Attack: | Nil | |
| Special Attacks: | Absorbs magic | |
| Special Defenses: | See below | |
| Magic Resistance: | See below | |
| Size: | L (12'-diameter sphere) | |
| Morale: | Champion (16) | |
| XP Value: | 2,000 |
These weird creatures are believed to come from an alternate Prime Material Plane. Known to sages of old as Eaters of Magic, they feed on magical energy and are greatly feared for the damage they can do.
Nishruu appear as silent, amorphous bodies of red, breathable mist, lacking visible organs or features. Nishruu glow, pulsing regularly as they drift about, and can seep through finger-width cracks. They will always move towards the greatest concentration of magic within 60 feet.
Combat: Aside from their effects on magic, nishruu do no damage to objects or beings. Fire and physical attacks affect them normally; hits are automatic if an attacker is enveloped by a nishruu. Cold does half damage, but magical fire, heat, and cold cannot form within a nishruu. If magical fire or cold contacts a nishruu from out- side its body area, it is absorbed harmlessly after dealing one round of damage.
Nishruu ignore physical attacks, moving fearlessly and relentlessly towards sources of magic. Mind control spells and illusions do not affect nishruu.
Any spell cast at a nishruu will be absorbed by it, having no effect except to give the creature life energy equal in hit points to the damage the spell normally does. A nondamaging spell gives a nishruu extra hit points equal to its spell level.
Chargeable magic items are drained of 1-4 charges on contact with a nishruu; if contact is continuous, the drain occurs again at the end of every second round. Nonchargeable magical items have their powers negated for 1-4 rounds after contact; if used when in contact with a nishruu, potions and scrolls suffer a delay of 1-4 rounds after contact ceases in taking effect.
Artifacts become nonoperational at all times while in contact with a nishruu and for 1 round after contact with a nishruu ceases. Spellcasters of all classes who are enveloped by a nishruu lose one memorized spell (determine randomly) at first contact and one per round of contact thereafter. Each time a loss occurs, the spellcaster must make a successful saving throw vs. breath weapon or be feebleminded.
Habitat/Society: Nishruu are solitary creatures that are not native to this Prime Material Plane. They cannot voluntarily transfer magical spells or charges to another being. Salt, both rock salt and sea salt, is deadly poisonous to nishruu. A handful of flung salt typically does a nishruu 2dl0 damage. Salt can therefore be used to confihe or herd such creatures, for they will not willingly come into contact with it.
Ecology: Nishruu feed on magic, drifting endlessly and relentlessly about in seemingly aimless searchings for it. These creatures pan actually detect the presence of magical energy within 600 feet or so, and will always move towards the most powerful, plentiful, or nearest source of magical energy. No upward limit for energy absorption is known, nor is a nishruu known to have starved from lack of magic. Most sages believe that sunlight and moisture may also sustain these beings.
When a nishruu is slain, its body will dissipate, losing luminosity and hue and appearing to sink into the ground. Any magical item within its body area when it is slain, or any magical weapon slaying it, even if no longer within the body will receive a magical bonus of 1-6 additional charges or a second use in the case of items that can normally be used but once (such as arrows and scrolls). Potions, memorized spells, artifacts, and items that do not have charges will not be augmented. When a nishruu is released, it proves a menace to all magic-using beings of the Realms until destroyed. It will drift along after those who released it, hoping they will lead it to one source of magic after another.