Unexpected Encounters #2

The Mauve Sphere

This could be in a dungeon, tower, keep, ruin, fortress, cavern, wizard's abode, or even the wilderness.  Adventurers see a pale lavender ball, 1' in diameter, floating in the air about 5' off the ground.  There's a subtle glow about it.  When engaged in conversation, it slowly and silently drifts closer to whomever is speaking.  Simply touching a sphere does nothing, except provide a strange physical sensation.

The Mauve Sphere is an intelligent creature with almost no way of communicating with those not of its race.  However, this lavender ball is quite sociable and will stay near those who seem friendly, though it can only move at about half the rate of the slowest party member.  If one of them befriends an adventurer, then it will happily travel with him or an entire party.  Mauve Spheres who realize their traveling companions are in serious trouble will do what they can to either protect their favorite creatures or absorb a particularly devastating opponent (assuming they haven't eaten within 24 hours).

These beings have only one known attack: the magical absorption of a single creature into its sphere-body.  Witnesses claim that victims touched by a preying sphere turn black, then dark purple, then violet and keep getting lighter in hue until reaching the sphere's coloring.  Unfortunately, no one can say exactly how the victim gets inside the sphere.  Each occurrence is preceded by a lightning bolt explosion followed by a cloud of dust and ash.  The victim appears within the sphere for a few minutes before absorption process is finished.

Absorption occurs once per day, and not again until 24 hours have passed.  Mauve Spheres can go a week without nourishment.  They tend to pick their meals based upon the temperament and affability of those around them.  Generally, the most hostile in a group are chosen over others.

Mauve Spheres are born of another world; their semi-translucent pale lavender surface cannot be harmed by non-magical weapons... even magical weapons and spells result in minimal damage.  A dimensional weapon such as a phase sword is required to slay these glowing balls.

They carry nothing with them; any treasure to be had would consist only of their remains.  A sorcerer might pay a couple hundred gold pieces for a Mauve Sphere corpse in good condition.
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Thanks for reading and commenting.  Let me know if you use such an encounter in your game!

VS