Candle Lurker

Homebrew monster for Dungeons and Dragons :

CANDLE LURKER
Large fey (earth)
Alignment: neutral
Environment: underground
Organization: solitary

"You are progressing into the depths, when you hear the clinking of a pickaxe. As you follow the origin of the noise, you see a humanoid with a strange silhouette, busy digging the rock. High like two men, it is dressed only in a few disparate belts and fabrics, on which are hung mining tools and some trinkets. Its rough skin is completely hairless, and a wick ending in a small flame sits on the top of its head. As it turns around, you discover that it has no face: only a white mask adorned with lips, floating in front of a gape filled with teeth. The creature stands up and advances clumsily towards you, opening its huge hands in your direction. "

Distant cousins of knockers, candle lurkers are feys linked to chthonic forces, which are only met very deep underground. The candle lurkers owe their name to their love for flames: they are indeed strongly attracted to any form of fire, magically or naturally made, which they "absorb" to feed the flame above their head. The wick of a candle lurker cannot be extinguished, does not burn or gives off heat ; it disappears only when the candle lurker dies. Moreover, the lights which give off neither flame nor heat do not interest them.
Although they are usually lonely and timid, the sight of fire excites them and their clumsy behavior can make them appear aggressive, when they rush over to absorb the source of a flame.

When there is no fire around, candle lurkers dig tunnels that lead to veins of stones and precious metals, on which they sometimes feed. Their presence systematically indicating such veins, they are seen as a good omen by the communities of dwarves and deep gnomes (svirfneblins), and considered as protective spirits. Members of such communities often make offerings to it by making fireplaces, magical or not, in remote tunnels. In exchange, the candle lurker signal them the arrival of landslides or other dangers, by hitting the rock with its tools.
They fear and stay away from evil civilizations of the depths (including drow, duergar and illithid). Unfortunately, they are sometimes baited with flames and then trapped, enslaved and forced to dig for veins.

Candle lurkers can understand Undercommon, Terran, and sometimes a few Dwarvish and Gnome language words when they live not far from these peoples. They are generally quiet and reserved, but they sometimes speak simple words in a hollow voice.