Article:
D&D 4th ed: The Floating Slime

More slime for you, to bring another twist of the unexpected to your game.

A common denizen of the deep, the Floating Slime rarely reaches a size where it is a serious threat to any humanoid.

Distantly related to the more infamous Gelatinous Cube, the Floating Slime is an almost transparent mass of large, buoyant bubble membranes, with a fine mist of wafting connective strands and toxin laden, stinging strands. Floating slimes grow to a large size by feeding on flying insects, bats and other underground prey, usually they are tended by another species (see below).

Lacking any tremor sense, the floating slime is attracted to heat and light, so any adventurers with torches, lanterns or a nice camp fire will soon draw this beast near.

Hard to detect until it is right on top of you, the floating slime can be a lethal danger to adventurers who are sleeping around a camp fire, as it drapes the stinging strands down onto them, injecting a vicious toxin which can knock the victim unconscious. The slime reacts to any contact by releasing fine sprays of colorful acid, and the membranes of the creature are so sticky, that becoming engulfed in it's burning embrace is a constant danger.

When bloodied, it's large bubbles of exotic gas will begin to burst, exploding outward with vicious sprays of it's acid.

Floating slimes are not intelligent, and will fight until destroyed; they are also stupid enough to float right into a wall of fire, only drifting away from it if they become bloodied from the roasting.

Clever subterranean races have figured out that the Floating Slimes can be easily led around and left in strategic locations, or enticed by sources of heat to follow along behind them, for use as a handy, drifting wall of pain if need be.

Most Floating Slimes of any dangerous size are the result of deliberate tending and feeding by another species, otherwise they rarely grow larger than tiny puffs of irritating goo.