Gravel Elemental for D&D 5E

A vaguely, sometimes vaguer than others, person-shaped amalgam of pebbles, small stones, gravel, and grit.  Usually found as servants or perhaps children of larger stone elementals, they can learn to use tools and can build their own societies given time.  Though they tend to be unhurried and slow to make decisions or take action when there is not a threat prompting them.

Gravel Elemental (“Rocky“)
small elemental, unaligned

Armor Class 14 (natural armor)

Hit Points 22 (5d6 + 5)

Speed Walk 30 ft., Burrow 10ft.

STR       DEX     CON     INT     WIS      CHA
14 (+2) 12 (+1) 13 (+1) 7 (-2) 11 (+0) 8 (-1)

Skills Perception +1, Stealth +3

Damage Resistances piercing or slashing damage from non-magical weapons

Damage Immunities poison

Senses darkvision 30 ft, tremorsense 30 ft., passive Perception 11

Languages Terran

Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)

Death Burst. When a gravel elemental dies, it explodes in a burst of jagged rock and grit. Each creature within 5 ft. of it takes 1d4 piercing damage and must then succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or be blinded for 1 minute. A blinded creature can repeat the saving throw on each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Earth Glide. The elemental can burrow through nonmagical, unworked earth and stone. While doing so, the elemental does not disturb the material it moves through.

Actions
Fist: Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6+2) bludgeoning damage.

Blast of Gravel and Grit (Recharge 6).  The gravel elemental ejects a 15-foot cone of small stones and grit. Each creature in that area takes 1d4 shashing damage and must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw or be blinded for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

These are a minor type of earth elemental that given time (decades to centuries) will eventually evolve into larger forms.  Sometimes they spontaneously emerge in areas of high magical activity and it has been known for them to form in the aftermath of magical siege works.  Powerful earth elementals seem to be able to impart the animating spark to create such beings but what motivates them to do so is usually unknown.

TACTICS
Before Combat: The gravel elemental is not very clever and will generally unleash their blast and then close and attack.

During Combat: The gravel golem will usually attack the nearest person and use its blast again as soon as it recharges.  Unless directed by a more powerful being, their tactics are limited.

Morale: Unless they are fighting for a more powerful being, in which case they fight until dispersed, they retreat (often just melting into the ground) when they are reduced to one-quarter (usually six or less) of their hit points.

Notes: Alway fun to play around with different aspects of elementals.

Image from PickPik and is free to use.