Vicious Phaethon (Basic Lore)

Vicious Phaethon (Threat; CR 34)
Chaotic Evil - Gargantuan - Outsider (Elemental)
This creature possesses the Threat role, and therefore counts as 4 monsters for purposes of encounter size, XP award, and treasure. This monster frequently has the Threat role, but may be set to other roles if desired. The Phaethon is a being from a higher energy state of existence, an Outer Plane which is closer to the Plane of Power than our own. Phaethons do not like being summoned to the Prime Material, a place they consider to be cold and dull. Given the gigantic power of the Phaethon, they usually break free of their summoners quickly and begin to amuse themselves by burning everything they can reach. Phaethons normally travel by turning gaseous and burning their way through the earth, leaving behind either smooth tunnels roughly ten feet in diameter or a myriad of tiny channels a few inches across, as the whim takes them. Phaethons usually look like roiling masses of brilliant hot flames, but they are actually composed of a rare eldritch material called phlogiston. They can be solid or gaseous, transparent, translucent, or opaque, hot or room temperature, and they can vary their shape at will. Phaethons normally look like ragged masses of gas, and may or may not emit incredible amounts of heat. They can also turn solid, and when they do their strength is unwordly. Phlogiston is extremely rare and valuable, because the main way to get it is to confront a Phaethon, and nobody wants to do that. They may, if they wish, exactly mimic flames. Unlike normal flames, they do not need to burn red and orange unless they are seeking to 'blend in' to their surroundings. Phaethons can burn green, blue, purple, yellow, orange or red if they wish, and indeed, they frequently use color changes to punctuate their moods. Unlike normal flames, Phaethons are self-sustaining and do not need fuel to burn. Phaethons are not extinguished or even harmed by water, and have a great time boiling lakes and rivers when they come across such things. A Phaethon's un-natural flame is composed of both fire and positive energy, which is what gives it its eternal nature. Phaethons are intelligent enough to recognize that being summoned to the Prime Material is bad for their health. Phaethons are smart enough to seek a way to escape back to their native realms, but this is balanced out by their utter evil and giggling joy in murder and destruction. A Phaethon may seek out a wizard to get itself off the Material, but it will be a real test of attention span as to whether the Phaethon will burn the wizard before or after the portal is arranged. Phaethons are deeply, utterly, Chaotic Evil. Nothing else matters except as a source of amusement, and Phaethons love burning things more than any other activity. Vicious Phaethons are frequently associated with Puissant Fire Elementals. These creatures can often be found together.