Page 105 - Lords of Madness: The Book of Aberrations

and a large open hatch in its belly, leading to a cargo hold. the neogi defiler Jawarkk Fel to remain on board and make
The spider-ship seems to have been damaged; part of the hull sure that no one attempted any sabotage or pilfered from
is smashed. the ship’s vault of high-value treasures. The vault is a room
Surrounding the spider-ship is a makeshift repair yard. Several with an iron door (DC 30 Open Lock or DC 25 to break) in
large tents house woodworking shops, and a number of trees the center of the vessel. The neogi company’s most valuable
have been felled and are being shaped into planks in an impro- goods are kept here; only Neex Hist and Rixxil Kas hold
vised sawmill. Humanoids are busy hoisting new planks over the keys to the door.
ship’s damaged areas and hammering them into place under the The treasure consists of 8,500 sp, 4,200 gp, 355 pp, twenty-two
supervision of another strange, spiderlike creature. gems averaging 100 gp in value, a jeweled ring worth 700 gp,

a fine platinum chain worth 2,200 gp, six potions of cure light
CHAPTER 5 THE SLAVE TAKERS The neogi Azri Voqq, helmsman and shipwright, is overseeing treasure, preferring not to risk carrying around their own
wounds, awand ofsearing light (20 charges), boots of the winterlands,
and a +2 holy longsword. Each neogi owns various shares in this
the repair of the mindspider. It possesses more expertise in
ship construction than its fellows, and has been given absolute
individual wealth in a temporary lair like the wreck site.
priority in the use of talented slaves. To ensure Voqq’s attention
to its task, the dwarf neogi Urqo Zar—personal slave to Neex
beholder). Jawarkk makes sure to keep the monster enslaved,
Hist, the neogi leader—shadows its every step, scrutinizing Jawarkk possesses an unusual slave—a gauth (lesser

Voqq’s work for even the minutest flaw. The shipwright would and watches it constantly for signs that it might be shaking
dearly love for some horrible construction accident to befall off the neogi’s influence.

the annoying Zar, but so far no such opportunities have Jawarkk orders its gauth to attack intruders, and then seeks
presented themselves. an opportunity to slip through the ship’s passageways and

The neogi regard their mindspider as sacrosanct, and come up behind a party engaging the beholder. The defiler
are distinctly uncomfortable with allowing the ship to be looks for an opportunity to sneak attack someone who has
seen by outsiders. Any PCs who appear here without being been stunned by the gauth’s gaze.
escorted by an umber hulk or a neogi is challenged at once, Beholder, Gauth: hp 45; Monster Manual page 26.
and attacked if they can’t provide a good accounting of
themselves. Jawarkk Fel, Neogi Defiler: Neogi rogue 5; CR 6; Small

Azri Voqq, Neogi: hp 16; see page 90. aberration; HD 5d8+10 plus 5d6+10; hp 57; Init +9; Spd 30 ft.,

Urqo Zar, Dwarf Neogi: hp 11; see page 94. climb 20 ft.; AC 22, touch 16, flat-footed 17; Base Atk +6; Grp
Azri’s Umber Hulk: hp 73; Monster Manual page 248. +2; Atk +12 melee (1d4 plus poison, bite) or +12 ranged touch
Bugbear Slave (2): hp 39 each; see page 103. (0, spit poison) or +13 ranged (1d6/19–20, masterwork light
Human Slave (Expert 1) (5): hp 4 each. crossbow); Full Atk +12 melee (1d4 plus poison, bite) and +7/+7
Urqo Zar uses its spell-like abilities of crushing despair and melee (1d3, 2 claws), or +12 ranged touch (0, spit poison), or +13
charm monster to soften up enemy warriors, trying to make ranged (1d6/19–20, masterwork light crossbow); SA enslave,
them easy prey for the umber hulk and the bugbear fighters. poison, sneak attack +3d6; SQ darkvision 60 ft., evasion, neogi

Azri Voqq concentrates on spellcasters, hoping to enslave a traits, trapfinding, trap sense +1, uncanny dodge; AL CE; SV
powerful wizard and thus gain great status for itself. Fort +4, Ref +10, Will +8; Str 10, Dex 21, Con 14, Int 15, Wis

The human slaves don’t fight unless directly threatened. 16, Cha 14.
As much as they’d like to be free, they’re terrified of winding Skills and Feats: Appraise +6, Balance +11, Climb +17, Craft

up on the neogi menu if they try to help out attacking heroes (poisonmaking) +7, Disable Device +12, Hide +17, Intimidate
who end up getting killed or captured. Given a chance, some +6, Jump +11, Listen +7, Move Silently +15, Search +10, Spot
or all might simply flee as best they can. +11, Tumble +13; Ability Focus (poison), Dodge, Improved

Initiative, Spit Poison†, Weapon Finesse .
B
5. MINDSPIDER WRECK (EL 8) † New feat described on page 94.
This vessel does not seem to have been made for the water. Its Languages: Common, Undercommon, Terran, Abyssal.

masts jut out at all angles, and its largest hatch is on its under- Enslave (Su): Three times per day, a neogi defiler can try to
side, where it could not be opened were the vessel riding in the enslave any one living creature within 30 feet. This ability
water. The hatch leads into a dimly lit cargo bay about 40 feet functions similarly to a dominate monster spell (caster level
long and 10 feet high, and you can see smaller passages leading 16th; Will DC 14). For more details, see the enslave ability
off to various other compartments, including cramped state- description on page 91.
rooms, weapons platforms, and a command deck. Poison (Ex): Injury, Fortitude DC 19 (17 when spit), initial
damage 1d4 Dex, secondary damage 1d4 Wis.
The neogi have moved most of their cargo, slaves, and personal Sneak Attack (Ex): Jawarkk Fel deals an extra 3d6 points

effects from the damaged ship to the nearby caves while of damage on any successful attack against flat-footed or
repairs proceed. flanked targets, or against a target that has been denied its

Neex Hist, the neogi sorcerer that leads the group, did not Dexterity bonus for any reason. This damage also applies to
want to leave the ship completely unguarded. It assigned ranged attacks against targets up to 30 feet away. Creatures
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