Zaydos
2014-02-20, 01:39 AM
Studying the illithids and their kind I came across references to a certain Marikus, a name which the illithids seemed loath to use. This Marikus was an ullitharid which had chosen to go down the path of wizardry and then took the forbidden step into undeath becoming an alhoon. While an ullitharid becoming an alhoon is reason enough for his name to be thought like a curse by illithids, Marikus did something far worse.
Marikus stole away with several years of larvae from the Elder Brain’s pool, preserving them for experimentation. This experimentation involved implanting illithid larvae into non-humanoid hosts. While many of the hosts rejected the larvae completely (usually in a manner fatal to both the larva and host), and others required special preparations to be performed on one or both first, several new illithid-kin were created this way. While the illithids destroyed Marikus for his research, they took his notes, and even now use some of his creations in the empire’s attempts to dominate.
In Lords of Madness they introduced urophions (these could predate LoM but it's my introduction to them at least) and they got me thinking that if non-humanoids could undergo cerebromorphosis and produce unique results why is it only ropers we get to see. So I made a few more, and have some on the mental back burner.
Ranthirid
Medium Aberration (Psionic)
Hit Dice: 6d8+6 (33 hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 40 ft (8 squares)
Armor Class: 18 (+4 Dex, +4 natural), FF 14, touch 14.
BAB/Grapple: +4/+5
Attack: Bite +8 melee (1d6+1 and trip)
Full Attack: Bite +8 melee (1d6+1 and trip)
Space/Reach: 5 ft/5 ft.
Special Attack: Extract, Psi-like Abilities, Trip
Special Qualities: Blink, Darkvision 60-ft, Dimension Door, Low-Light vision, Scent, Spell Resistance 10 (7 + CR), Telepathy 100-ft.
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +6, Will +6.
Abilities: Str 13, Dex 18, Con 13, Int 16, Wis 13, Cha 14
Skills: Hide +13, Listen +10, Sense Motive +10, Spot +10, Survival +10
Feats: Ability Focus (Mind Thrust), Great Fortitude, TrackB, Weapon Finesse
Environment: Underground
Organization: Solitary, pair, pack (2-8) or hunting party (2-8 and 1-2 illithids).
Challenge Rating: 3.
Treasure: Standard.
Alignment: Usually Lawful Evil
Advancement: 7-9 HD (Medium), 10-18 HD (Large).
Level Adjustment: –
A four legged creature approaches you, its hairless body has slimy blue-violet flesh. The creature is shaped somewhat like a bony dog, but its cranium is expanded backwards. Its canine snout has four cephalopodic tentacles which stretch out. The creature is indistinct, flickering between fully visible and invisible.
Rarely seen, one of Marikus’s successes was the creation of the ranthirids, or illithid-blink dogs. Created from the magical dogs the ranthirids retain their ability to blink through reality, but augment it with greater strength and speed as well as the ability to perform a variety of telepathic attacks.
Ranthirids are used by illithid enclaves as scouts and hunting hounds. Much like urophionsLoM, ranthirids live lives outside of the core of illithid society their loyalty rewarded with little more than the promise of joining the elder brain in death. Ranthirids are rarely created due to the difficulty of acquiring blink dog hosts, and when they are made it is to provide fast hitting and mobile tactical troops.
Ranthirids speak Undercommon but prefer to communicate through telekinesis.
Combat: Alone a ranthirid will use dimension door and telepathic powers to whittle away at a foe. Preferably they will be striking at night or in a tunnel system where their ability to teleport around walls or into the darkness allows them to retreat from the enemy after an attack and then return on foot to mind thrust and then retreat only closing once they can no longer release psychic blasts and even then preferring to charge a target and then teleport away.
In a pack a ranthirid will rush a group and use Mental Disruption. While the group is reeling from this effect the others will attack, hoping to take down or at least trip any unaffected targets. If a target seems particularly weak willed they may try to overwhelm it by a focused assault of mind thrusts, before turning to its allies. Against a single foe they may even release their Ego Whips instead of using Mental Disruption hoping to lock down the target that way.
Blink (Su): A ranthirid can use blink as the spell (caster level 8th), and can evoke or end the effect as a free action.
Dimension Door (Su): A ranthirid can teleport, as dimension door(caster level 8th), once per round as a free action. The ability affects only the ranthirid, which never appears within a solid object and can act immediately after teleporting.
Extract (Ex): A ranthirid can extract and devour the brain of a creature whose head is within reach of its mouth as a coup de grace. This kills most creatures instantly.
Psi-like Abilities: 1/day Ego Whip (Will DC 15); 3/day Mental Disruption (Will DC 15), Mind Thrust (4d10, Will DC 17). All ML 4.
Trip (Ex): A ranthirid that hits with a bite attack can attempt to trip its opponent using Dexterity instead of Strength (+8 check modifier) as a free action without making a touch attack or provoking an attack of opportunity. If the attempt fails, the opponent cannot react to trip the ranthirid.
Kallipsid
Large Aberration (Psionic)
Hit Dice: 8d8+32 (68 hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 20 ft (4 squares), burrow 20 ft
Armor Class: 18 (-1 size, +1 Dex, +8 natural), FF 17, touch 10.
BAB/Grapple: +6/+16
Attack: Bite +11 melee (2d8+6 and improved grab)
Full Attack: Bite +11 melee (2d8+6 and improved grab) and 2 claws +9 melee (2d4+3)
Space/Reach: 10 ft/10 ft.
Special Attack: Compelling Gaze, Extract, Improved Grab, Psi-like Abilities
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60-ft, Naturally Psionic, Spell Resistance 22 (14 + CR), Telepathy 100-ft, Tremorsense 60-ft.
Saves: Fort +8, Ref +3, Will +7.
Abilities: Str 23, Dex 13, Con 19, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 16
Skills: Climb +11, Jump +10, Listen +12, Spot +8
Feats: Ability Focus (Compelling Gaze), Great Fortitude, Multiattack
Environment: Underground
Organization: Solitary or cluster (2-4)
Challenge Rating: 8.
Treasure: Standard.
Alignment: Always Lawful Evil
Advancement: by Character Class
Level Adjustment: –
The creature before you looks like some disgusting bug. Standing roughly 8-ft tall, it could almost be mistaken for an umber hulk. It is mostly distinguished by being thinner, with smaller arms, and the four tentacles that split off two from each of its massive mandibles. Its eyes are also different, lacking the compound eyes of an umber hulk instead merely having two pairs of eyes one massive like a deep sea squid’s and the other almost human.
A kallipsid is the result of an illithid tadpole implanted into an umber hulk. This results in a mentally inferior creature, but one whose physical power might make up for some of what they have lost intellectually. Kallipsids are becoming more popular in illithid city-states which have decided that thralls cannot be trusted with the protection of their illithid betters. Kallipsids eat less than a regular illithid, allowing them to serve as heavy infantry in battle, with their controlling gaze to pacify targets for extraction and their Id Insinuation power to sow dissent among enemy ranks. Kallipsids are also used for their burrowing abilities, like the umber hulks they are made from they are able to burrow through stone at a rate of 5 feet per round and only leave usable tunnels if they choose to. This, coupled with their strength to aid in construction, means illithids find kallipsids useful for more than just their combat ability.
Kallipsids serve poorly outside of battle, though. Despite their capabilities outside combat, kallipsids are generally surly and listless in such positions. Kallipsids love combat, seeking it out, and many illithids allow them to have their way and move out in raids against other underdark dwellers. Some illithid settlements have taken to hiring out kallipsids as mercenaries for their neighbors.
Kallipsids speak undercommon, but prefer to communicate with allies telepathically. Kallipsids prefer to communicate with enemies with their compelling gaze and claws, trying to talk to them typically just angers them further.
Combat: Kallipsids prefer to pop out of their tunnels in the midst of enemies, allowing their compelling gaze to render as many enemies as possible out of commission and then striking with their mandibles and claws at enemies that resist.
Compelling Gaze (Su): A kallipsid’s gaze has a range of 30-ft and creatures within it feel compelled to approach the kallipsid and offer themselves as its meal. A creature that fails its Will save (DC 19) against a kallipsid’s gaze drops anything they are holding and approaches the kallipsid offering their head to it and taking no other actions. They will not resist a kallipsid’s grapple attempts (allowing them to attach all 4 tentacles in 2 rounds with no need to roll), and lose any Dexterity bonus to AC although they are not helpless. A creature affected by this gaze is allowed a new save each round, but may take no actions in the round if they succeed at this time, and each time they are dealt damage. This is a mind-affecting compulsion effect. Illithids, and other related creatures (including any character with at least 3 illithid heritage feats), are immune to this ability.
Extract (Ex): A kallipsid that begins its turn with all four tentacles attached and that makes a successful grapple check automatically extracts the opponent’s brain, instantly killing that creature. This power is useless against constructs, elementals, oozes, plants, and undead. It is not instantly fatal to foes with multiple heads, such as ettins and hydras.
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a kallipsid must hit a Small, Medium, Large, or Huge creature with its bite attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and attaches a tentacle to the opponent’s head. A kallipsid can grab a Gargantuan or larger creature, but only if it can somehow reach the foe’s head. If a kallipsid begins its turn with at least one tentacle attached, it can try to attach its remaining tentacles with a single grapple check. The opponent can escape with a single successful grapple check or an Escape Artist check, but the kallipsid gets a +2 circumstance bonus for every tentacle that was attached at the beginning of the opponent’s turn.
Psi-like Abilities: At-will Id Insinuation (3 targets, Will DC 17) ML 8.
Meriphion
Medium Outsider (Evil, Lawful, Psionic)
Hit Dice: 12d8+36 (90 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 40 ft (8 squares)
Armor Class: 21 (+2 Dex, +9 natural), FF 19, touch 12.
BAB/Grapple: +12/+16
Attack: Greatsword +19 melee (2d6+9) or Tentacle +19 melee (1d4+7 and improved grab); includes Metaphyical Weapon and Metaphysical Claw
Full Attack: Greatsword +19/+14/+9 (2d6+9) and 4 tentacles +14 melee (1d4+7 and improved grab); includes Metaphysical Weapon and Metaphysical Claw
Space/Reach: 5 ft/5 ft.
Special Attack: Extract, Improved Grab, Maneuvers (via feats), Mindblast, Psi-like Abilities
Special Qualities: Aura of Menace, Circle of Corruption, Damage Reduction 10/good, Darkvision 60-ft, Immunity to Electricity and Petrification, Martial Stance (via feat), Planar Step, +4 to saves vs Poison, Scent, Spell Resistance 28 (17+CR), Telepathy 100-ft, Tongues.
Saves: Fort +11, Ref +10, Will +14.
Abilities: Str 19, Dex 14, Con 17, Int 16, Wis 23, Cha 20
Skills: Bluff +20, Concentration +18, Diplomacy +24, Hide +17, Intimidate +22, Knowledge (any one) +18, Listen +21, Move Silently +17, Sense Motive +23, Spot +21, and Survival +21 (+25 when tracking via scent)
Feats: Ability Focus (Aura of Menace), Ability Focus (Mindblast), MindsightLoM, Martial Study (Burning Blade), Martial Stance (Holocaust Cloak), TrackB
Environment: Any land or underground
Organization: Solitary, pair, or cabal (3-6)
Challenge Rating: 11.
Treasure: Standard.
Alignment: Always Lawful Evil
Advancement: by Character Class
Level Adjustment: –
Standing over six feet tall, this muscular humanoid creature, has leathery, platinum colored skin. It’s head extends forward into an animalistic snout, but this snout actually splits apart into four tentacles and a cephelapodic beak. It holds a greatsword as it stands before you radiating a deep focus of intent, and a certain calm contempt; as if it views what stands before it as nothing but ants.
Possibly the real reason Marikus is so anathema to his kind, the meriphions are the result of specially prepared tadpoles being implanted into hound archons and successfully undergoing cerebromorphosis. Unlike ranthirids and kallipsids, though, meriphions are quite willful creatures unwilling to submit to illithid dominance but instead seeing themselves as the new master race. Extremely few in number, meriphions have been known to break into illithid settlements in attempts to steal tadpoles for their own procreation, and at least one report I’ve heard tells me of a fledgling city ruled by a meriphion in place of an elder brain.
Meriphions seek out positions of power over lesser beings, creating more “equals” through cerebromorphosis of other Hound Archons and, if my studies of Marikus’s notes are on the right path possibly through proper cerebromorphosis of Mt. Celestia petitioners. They are haughty and carelessly cruel by nature; lacking in true sadism but seeing no value in human emotion.
Meriphions speak Undercommon, Celestial and Common, as well as possessing a natural Tongues ability. They prefer reserving telepathic communication with their equals, or favorite pets.
Combat: A meriphion opens combat by moving in close to foes, preferably within range of its circle of corruption and with concealing amorpha active, and opening with either a mind blast or charm. Meriphions will then if they have not already done so mind blast opponents before attempting to kill the stunned individuals with their sword and tentacles often expending their martial talents at the beginning of the fight.
Aura of Menace (Su): An aura of power surrounds meriphions that fight or get angry. Any hostile creature within a 20-foot radius of a meriphion must succeed on a Will save DC 22 to resist its effects. The save DC is Charisma-based, and includes a +2 racial bonus. Those who fail take a –2 penalty on attacks, AC, and saves for 24 hours or until they successfully hit the meriphion that generated the aura. A creature that has resisted or broken the effect cannot be affected again by the same meriphion’s aura for 24 hours.
Circle of Corruption (Su): Non-meriphion creatures within 10-ft of a meriphion suffer a -1 penalty to AC and saving throws. This penalty increases by 2 (to -3) against charm and compulsion effects. A Magic Circle against [Alignment] that has its origin within a meriphion’s Circle of Corruption is suppressed and vice versa. A Protection from [Aligment] effect is suppressed within the area of a meriphion’s Circle of Corruption but protects the affected creature from the Circle of Corruption’s effects.
Extract (Ex): A meriphion that begins its turn with all four tentacles attached and that makes a successful grapple check automatically extracts the opponent’s brain, instantly killing that creature. This power is useless against constructs, elementals, oozes, plants, and undead. It is not instantly fatal to foes with multiple heads, such as ettins and hydras.
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a meriphion must hit a Small, Medium, or Large creature with its tentacle attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and attaches the tentacle to the opponent’s head. A mind flayer can grab a Huge or larger creature, but only if it can somehow reach the foe’s head. If a meriphion begins its turn with at least one tentacle attached, it can try to attach its remaining tentacles with a single grapple check. The opponent can escape with a single successful grapple check or an Escape Artist check, but the meriphion gets a +2 circumstance bonus for every tentacle that was attached at the beginning of the opponent’s turn.
Martial Maneuvers (Su): A meriphion’s feats give it a single maneuver usable 1/encounter. Wall of Blades allows the replacement of AC with an attack roll as an immediate action, while Burning Blade adds 1d6+6 fire damage to melee attacks for 1 round as a swift action.
Martial Stance (Su): A meriphion’s feats gives it a single martial stance Holocaust Cloak which causes any creature striking it in melee (unless with a reach weapon) to take 5 points of fire damage.
Mind Blast (Ps): This psionic attack is a cone 60 feet long. Anyone caught in this cone must succeed on a DC 22 Will save or be stunned for 3d4 rounds. The save DC is Charisma-based and includes Ability Focus. This ability is the equivalent of a 6th level power.
Planar Step (Sp): A meriphion may use Greater Teleport or Plane Shift as the spells at-will, but may only transfer themselves and up to 50 lbs of gear.
Psi-like Abilities: At-will Metaphysical Claw; 3/day Concealing Amorpha, Metaphysical Weapon, Psionic Charm, Psionic Lion’s Charge, Psionic Suggestion. ML 12.
Tongues (Su): A meriphon benefits from a continuous Tongues effect.
Marikus stole away with several years of larvae from the Elder Brain’s pool, preserving them for experimentation. This experimentation involved implanting illithid larvae into non-humanoid hosts. While many of the hosts rejected the larvae completely (usually in a manner fatal to both the larva and host), and others required special preparations to be performed on one or both first, several new illithid-kin were created this way. While the illithids destroyed Marikus for his research, they took his notes, and even now use some of his creations in the empire’s attempts to dominate.
In Lords of Madness they introduced urophions (these could predate LoM but it's my introduction to them at least) and they got me thinking that if non-humanoids could undergo cerebromorphosis and produce unique results why is it only ropers we get to see. So I made a few more, and have some on the mental back burner.
Ranthirid
Medium Aberration (Psionic)
Hit Dice: 6d8+6 (33 hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 40 ft (8 squares)
Armor Class: 18 (+4 Dex, +4 natural), FF 14, touch 14.
BAB/Grapple: +4/+5
Attack: Bite +8 melee (1d6+1 and trip)
Full Attack: Bite +8 melee (1d6+1 and trip)
Space/Reach: 5 ft/5 ft.
Special Attack: Extract, Psi-like Abilities, Trip
Special Qualities: Blink, Darkvision 60-ft, Dimension Door, Low-Light vision, Scent, Spell Resistance 10 (7 + CR), Telepathy 100-ft.
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +6, Will +6.
Abilities: Str 13, Dex 18, Con 13, Int 16, Wis 13, Cha 14
Skills: Hide +13, Listen +10, Sense Motive +10, Spot +10, Survival +10
Feats: Ability Focus (Mind Thrust), Great Fortitude, TrackB, Weapon Finesse
Environment: Underground
Organization: Solitary, pair, pack (2-8) or hunting party (2-8 and 1-2 illithids).
Challenge Rating: 3.
Treasure: Standard.
Alignment: Usually Lawful Evil
Advancement: 7-9 HD (Medium), 10-18 HD (Large).
Level Adjustment: –
A four legged creature approaches you, its hairless body has slimy blue-violet flesh. The creature is shaped somewhat like a bony dog, but its cranium is expanded backwards. Its canine snout has four cephalopodic tentacles which stretch out. The creature is indistinct, flickering between fully visible and invisible.
Rarely seen, one of Marikus’s successes was the creation of the ranthirids, or illithid-blink dogs. Created from the magical dogs the ranthirids retain their ability to blink through reality, but augment it with greater strength and speed as well as the ability to perform a variety of telepathic attacks.
Ranthirids are used by illithid enclaves as scouts and hunting hounds. Much like urophionsLoM, ranthirids live lives outside of the core of illithid society their loyalty rewarded with little more than the promise of joining the elder brain in death. Ranthirids are rarely created due to the difficulty of acquiring blink dog hosts, and when they are made it is to provide fast hitting and mobile tactical troops.
Ranthirids speak Undercommon but prefer to communicate through telekinesis.
Combat: Alone a ranthirid will use dimension door and telepathic powers to whittle away at a foe. Preferably they will be striking at night or in a tunnel system where their ability to teleport around walls or into the darkness allows them to retreat from the enemy after an attack and then return on foot to mind thrust and then retreat only closing once they can no longer release psychic blasts and even then preferring to charge a target and then teleport away.
In a pack a ranthirid will rush a group and use Mental Disruption. While the group is reeling from this effect the others will attack, hoping to take down or at least trip any unaffected targets. If a target seems particularly weak willed they may try to overwhelm it by a focused assault of mind thrusts, before turning to its allies. Against a single foe they may even release their Ego Whips instead of using Mental Disruption hoping to lock down the target that way.
Blink (Su): A ranthirid can use blink as the spell (caster level 8th), and can evoke or end the effect as a free action.
Dimension Door (Su): A ranthirid can teleport, as dimension door(caster level 8th), once per round as a free action. The ability affects only the ranthirid, which never appears within a solid object and can act immediately after teleporting.
Extract (Ex): A ranthirid can extract and devour the brain of a creature whose head is within reach of its mouth as a coup de grace. This kills most creatures instantly.
Psi-like Abilities: 1/day Ego Whip (Will DC 15); 3/day Mental Disruption (Will DC 15), Mind Thrust (4d10, Will DC 17). All ML 4.
Trip (Ex): A ranthirid that hits with a bite attack can attempt to trip its opponent using Dexterity instead of Strength (+8 check modifier) as a free action without making a touch attack or provoking an attack of opportunity. If the attempt fails, the opponent cannot react to trip the ranthirid.
Kallipsid
Large Aberration (Psionic)
Hit Dice: 8d8+32 (68 hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 20 ft (4 squares), burrow 20 ft
Armor Class: 18 (-1 size, +1 Dex, +8 natural), FF 17, touch 10.
BAB/Grapple: +6/+16
Attack: Bite +11 melee (2d8+6 and improved grab)
Full Attack: Bite +11 melee (2d8+6 and improved grab) and 2 claws +9 melee (2d4+3)
Space/Reach: 10 ft/10 ft.
Special Attack: Compelling Gaze, Extract, Improved Grab, Psi-like Abilities
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60-ft, Naturally Psionic, Spell Resistance 22 (14 + CR), Telepathy 100-ft, Tremorsense 60-ft.
Saves: Fort +8, Ref +3, Will +7.
Abilities: Str 23, Dex 13, Con 19, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 16
Skills: Climb +11, Jump +10, Listen +12, Spot +8
Feats: Ability Focus (Compelling Gaze), Great Fortitude, Multiattack
Environment: Underground
Organization: Solitary or cluster (2-4)
Challenge Rating: 8.
Treasure: Standard.
Alignment: Always Lawful Evil
Advancement: by Character Class
Level Adjustment: –
The creature before you looks like some disgusting bug. Standing roughly 8-ft tall, it could almost be mistaken for an umber hulk. It is mostly distinguished by being thinner, with smaller arms, and the four tentacles that split off two from each of its massive mandibles. Its eyes are also different, lacking the compound eyes of an umber hulk instead merely having two pairs of eyes one massive like a deep sea squid’s and the other almost human.
A kallipsid is the result of an illithid tadpole implanted into an umber hulk. This results in a mentally inferior creature, but one whose physical power might make up for some of what they have lost intellectually. Kallipsids are becoming more popular in illithid city-states which have decided that thralls cannot be trusted with the protection of their illithid betters. Kallipsids eat less than a regular illithid, allowing them to serve as heavy infantry in battle, with their controlling gaze to pacify targets for extraction and their Id Insinuation power to sow dissent among enemy ranks. Kallipsids are also used for their burrowing abilities, like the umber hulks they are made from they are able to burrow through stone at a rate of 5 feet per round and only leave usable tunnels if they choose to. This, coupled with their strength to aid in construction, means illithids find kallipsids useful for more than just their combat ability.
Kallipsids serve poorly outside of battle, though. Despite their capabilities outside combat, kallipsids are generally surly and listless in such positions. Kallipsids love combat, seeking it out, and many illithids allow them to have their way and move out in raids against other underdark dwellers. Some illithid settlements have taken to hiring out kallipsids as mercenaries for their neighbors.
Kallipsids speak undercommon, but prefer to communicate with allies telepathically. Kallipsids prefer to communicate with enemies with their compelling gaze and claws, trying to talk to them typically just angers them further.
Combat: Kallipsids prefer to pop out of their tunnels in the midst of enemies, allowing their compelling gaze to render as many enemies as possible out of commission and then striking with their mandibles and claws at enemies that resist.
Compelling Gaze (Su): A kallipsid’s gaze has a range of 30-ft and creatures within it feel compelled to approach the kallipsid and offer themselves as its meal. A creature that fails its Will save (DC 19) against a kallipsid’s gaze drops anything they are holding and approaches the kallipsid offering their head to it and taking no other actions. They will not resist a kallipsid’s grapple attempts (allowing them to attach all 4 tentacles in 2 rounds with no need to roll), and lose any Dexterity bonus to AC although they are not helpless. A creature affected by this gaze is allowed a new save each round, but may take no actions in the round if they succeed at this time, and each time they are dealt damage. This is a mind-affecting compulsion effect. Illithids, and other related creatures (including any character with at least 3 illithid heritage feats), are immune to this ability.
Extract (Ex): A kallipsid that begins its turn with all four tentacles attached and that makes a successful grapple check automatically extracts the opponent’s brain, instantly killing that creature. This power is useless against constructs, elementals, oozes, plants, and undead. It is not instantly fatal to foes with multiple heads, such as ettins and hydras.
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a kallipsid must hit a Small, Medium, Large, or Huge creature with its bite attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and attaches a tentacle to the opponent’s head. A kallipsid can grab a Gargantuan or larger creature, but only if it can somehow reach the foe’s head. If a kallipsid begins its turn with at least one tentacle attached, it can try to attach its remaining tentacles with a single grapple check. The opponent can escape with a single successful grapple check or an Escape Artist check, but the kallipsid gets a +2 circumstance bonus for every tentacle that was attached at the beginning of the opponent’s turn.
Psi-like Abilities: At-will Id Insinuation (3 targets, Will DC 17) ML 8.
Meriphion
Medium Outsider (Evil, Lawful, Psionic)
Hit Dice: 12d8+36 (90 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 40 ft (8 squares)
Armor Class: 21 (+2 Dex, +9 natural), FF 19, touch 12.
BAB/Grapple: +12/+16
Attack: Greatsword +19 melee (2d6+9) or Tentacle +19 melee (1d4+7 and improved grab); includes Metaphyical Weapon and Metaphysical Claw
Full Attack: Greatsword +19/+14/+9 (2d6+9) and 4 tentacles +14 melee (1d4+7 and improved grab); includes Metaphysical Weapon and Metaphysical Claw
Space/Reach: 5 ft/5 ft.
Special Attack: Extract, Improved Grab, Maneuvers (via feats), Mindblast, Psi-like Abilities
Special Qualities: Aura of Menace, Circle of Corruption, Damage Reduction 10/good, Darkvision 60-ft, Immunity to Electricity and Petrification, Martial Stance (via feat), Planar Step, +4 to saves vs Poison, Scent, Spell Resistance 28 (17+CR), Telepathy 100-ft, Tongues.
Saves: Fort +11, Ref +10, Will +14.
Abilities: Str 19, Dex 14, Con 17, Int 16, Wis 23, Cha 20
Skills: Bluff +20, Concentration +18, Diplomacy +24, Hide +17, Intimidate +22, Knowledge (any one) +18, Listen +21, Move Silently +17, Sense Motive +23, Spot +21, and Survival +21 (+25 when tracking via scent)
Feats: Ability Focus (Aura of Menace), Ability Focus (Mindblast), MindsightLoM, Martial Study (Burning Blade), Martial Stance (Holocaust Cloak), TrackB
Environment: Any land or underground
Organization: Solitary, pair, or cabal (3-6)
Challenge Rating: 11.
Treasure: Standard.
Alignment: Always Lawful Evil
Advancement: by Character Class
Level Adjustment: –
Standing over six feet tall, this muscular humanoid creature, has leathery, platinum colored skin. It’s head extends forward into an animalistic snout, but this snout actually splits apart into four tentacles and a cephelapodic beak. It holds a greatsword as it stands before you radiating a deep focus of intent, and a certain calm contempt; as if it views what stands before it as nothing but ants.
Possibly the real reason Marikus is so anathema to his kind, the meriphions are the result of specially prepared tadpoles being implanted into hound archons and successfully undergoing cerebromorphosis. Unlike ranthirids and kallipsids, though, meriphions are quite willful creatures unwilling to submit to illithid dominance but instead seeing themselves as the new master race. Extremely few in number, meriphions have been known to break into illithid settlements in attempts to steal tadpoles for their own procreation, and at least one report I’ve heard tells me of a fledgling city ruled by a meriphion in place of an elder brain.
Meriphions seek out positions of power over lesser beings, creating more “equals” through cerebromorphosis of other Hound Archons and, if my studies of Marikus’s notes are on the right path possibly through proper cerebromorphosis of Mt. Celestia petitioners. They are haughty and carelessly cruel by nature; lacking in true sadism but seeing no value in human emotion.
Meriphions speak Undercommon, Celestial and Common, as well as possessing a natural Tongues ability. They prefer reserving telepathic communication with their equals, or favorite pets.
Combat: A meriphion opens combat by moving in close to foes, preferably within range of its circle of corruption and with concealing amorpha active, and opening with either a mind blast or charm. Meriphions will then if they have not already done so mind blast opponents before attempting to kill the stunned individuals with their sword and tentacles often expending their martial talents at the beginning of the fight.
Aura of Menace (Su): An aura of power surrounds meriphions that fight or get angry. Any hostile creature within a 20-foot radius of a meriphion must succeed on a Will save DC 22 to resist its effects. The save DC is Charisma-based, and includes a +2 racial bonus. Those who fail take a –2 penalty on attacks, AC, and saves for 24 hours or until they successfully hit the meriphion that generated the aura. A creature that has resisted or broken the effect cannot be affected again by the same meriphion’s aura for 24 hours.
Circle of Corruption (Su): Non-meriphion creatures within 10-ft of a meriphion suffer a -1 penalty to AC and saving throws. This penalty increases by 2 (to -3) against charm and compulsion effects. A Magic Circle against [Alignment] that has its origin within a meriphion’s Circle of Corruption is suppressed and vice versa. A Protection from [Aligment] effect is suppressed within the area of a meriphion’s Circle of Corruption but protects the affected creature from the Circle of Corruption’s effects.
Extract (Ex): A meriphion that begins its turn with all four tentacles attached and that makes a successful grapple check automatically extracts the opponent’s brain, instantly killing that creature. This power is useless against constructs, elementals, oozes, plants, and undead. It is not instantly fatal to foes with multiple heads, such as ettins and hydras.
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a meriphion must hit a Small, Medium, or Large creature with its tentacle attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and attaches the tentacle to the opponent’s head. A mind flayer can grab a Huge or larger creature, but only if it can somehow reach the foe’s head. If a meriphion begins its turn with at least one tentacle attached, it can try to attach its remaining tentacles with a single grapple check. The opponent can escape with a single successful grapple check or an Escape Artist check, but the meriphion gets a +2 circumstance bonus for every tentacle that was attached at the beginning of the opponent’s turn.
Martial Maneuvers (Su): A meriphion’s feats give it a single maneuver usable 1/encounter. Wall of Blades allows the replacement of AC with an attack roll as an immediate action, while Burning Blade adds 1d6+6 fire damage to melee attacks for 1 round as a swift action.
Martial Stance (Su): A meriphion’s feats gives it a single martial stance Holocaust Cloak which causes any creature striking it in melee (unless with a reach weapon) to take 5 points of fire damage.
Mind Blast (Ps): This psionic attack is a cone 60 feet long. Anyone caught in this cone must succeed on a DC 22 Will save or be stunned for 3d4 rounds. The save DC is Charisma-based and includes Ability Focus. This ability is the equivalent of a 6th level power.
Planar Step (Sp): A meriphion may use Greater Teleport or Plane Shift as the spells at-will, but may only transfer themselves and up to 50 lbs of gear.
Psi-like Abilities: At-will Metaphysical Claw; 3/day Concealing Amorpha, Metaphysical Weapon, Psionic Charm, Psionic Lion’s Charge, Psionic Suggestion. ML 12.
Tongues (Su): A meriphon benefits from a continuous Tongues effect.