Sand Vortex

''A whirling vortex of sand and silt rises up from the sea below, barely concealing the disc-shaped monstrosity at its heart. A fang-filled maw gapes at the center of a circular expanse of rubbery grey flesh, the savage winds dragging all towards it.''

Combat
The sand vortex is a cautious predator, lurking out of sight and probing the silt and air above with its psionic powers, waiting for a suitable meal to appear. Its principal mode of attack is to activate its whirlwind power and use this to drag prey into its jaws. Targets thus bitten are grappled in an attempt to swallow them whole.

The vortex's read thoughts power makes it hard to surprise. It uses telekinesis to raise swirling, abrasive clouds of sand and strikes with concussion blasts, attempting to knock attackers into the deeper silt.

When threatened and unable to escape into the depths of the silt, a sand vortex will use defy gravity to levitate out of reach and drift to safety on the winds.

Description
The sand vortex (also known as a silt vortex) is a disc-shaped creature that conceals itself below the surface of large bodies of silt. When it detects prey above, it unleashes an enormous psionic whirlwind and uses this to drag its victims towards its mouth.

The sand vortex is active only during the day, seeming to absorb energy from basking in the warmth of the sun filtering down through the silt above. Thought to live for some 60 years, the sand vortex reproduces asexually, splitting itself into two smaller creatures of 7 Hit Dice each. These mature at a rate of 2 HD per year until reaching full size, but have the psionic abilities (including the whirlwind) of an adult. Rumors persist of far larger specimens, dwelling in the deep silt.

The average sand vortex is 20 feet across and 5 feet thick, weighing as much as 100 tons.