Sluk is a type of macroalgae (seaweed) native to wildspace in the Spelljammer campaign setting.[1]
Overview[]
Sluk is a type of spaceborne macroalgae that feeds on magic, and occurs in huge drifts that are able to mire spacefaring ships, similar in effect to sargasso seaweed in terrestrial seas.[1]
Description[]
Sluk grows in 50-foot (15 meter) long clumps called "drifts" or “beds”, and is dark blue in color, with small silver nodules among its leaves. The macroalgae blends in nearly perfectly with the darkness of space and is rather difficult to see. However, the algae is much easier to spot in the phlogiston.[1]
Behavior[]
Sluk is attracted to sources of magic and will slowly drift through space towards them. Drifts of sluk are fully capable of miring a spelljamming vessel that runs into them, and for every 50 square feet (4.7 square meters) can stop the equivalent of a 5 ton vessel. Individual drifts of sluk can range in area from 100 to 1,000 square feet (9 to 93 square meters).
If a vessel travelling at spelljamming speed encounters a sluk drift big enough to stop it, the ship immediately decelerates to tactical speed. A vessel travelling at tactical speed through a sluk bed will gradually slow to a halt. Once a vessel has come to a stop within the drift, the only way to get it moving again is to chop away the sluk's stalks and fronds, which can take up to 9 minutes.
If a spellcaster or anyone carrying three or more magical items falls into a sluk bed, the macroalgae wraps itself around them, constricting them as it drains all available magical energy.
Sluk is completely immune to magic, except for cold-based spells. Magical cold instantly causes the plant to shrivel up and flake off. Other spells will merely nourish the sluk, and eventually allow it to reproduce.[1]
Ecology[]
Sluk reproduces by absorbing magical energy, especially from trapped spelljamming vessels. The ship must have a wooden hull (for some reason metal hulls are immune to this effect, though they remain trapped within the sluk bed) and must remain motionless as the sluk clings to the ship and begins "bleeding" enough magical energy to reproduce, which should only take a few minutes. After gaining enough energy, the sluk will double in size, possibly miring the ship even deeper within the sluk bed.
Sluk temporarily reduces a spelljammer's SR by 1 for every minute it remains trapped. Should a ship be cut free, the ship's helm will regain 1 SR per hour once it escapes. However, a spelljamming helm may be rendered permanently inoperable if the vessel is trapped in the sluk for many months.
Magical items may lose their magic after an hour in the sluk, but will recover within an hour and a half if removed before then. Relics and artifacts are unaffected by sluk.
Feesu and skullbirds are known to nibble occasionally on sluk, but do not eat enough to make any difference.[1]
Appendix[]
External Links[]
- Sluk article at the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition Wiki, a wiki for official Dungeons & Dragons content from 2nd edition AD&D.