Page 155 - Lords of Madness: The Book of Aberrations

This powerful quadruped vaguely resembles a huge dog or bear. Pounce (Ex): If a hound of the gloom charges a foe, it can
Its massive, hairless body ripples with extraordinary musculature. make a full attack, including two tentacle attacks.
Its hide is sleek and milky-white in color, and bony plates cover Skills: Hounds of the gloom have a +4 racial bonus on Listen
its head and protect its eyes. Long tentacles ring the head like a and Spot checks. They have a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks
lion’s mane. Two of the tentacles, longer than the others, end in and can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if
oddly humanlike hands. rushed or threatened.

Hounds of the gloom remain a mystery. No records of appear-
ILLITHIDAE
ances by such creatures go back farther than ten years. Since Creatures that originated in the same alien and hostile world
then, sightings have become more numerous each year.
CHAPTER 8 NEW MONSTERS Fortunately, the beasts are still rare in most regions. as the mind flayers, the illithidae are an order of creatures

that are related to mind flayers in much the same way that

Sages speculate that the creatures might be distant relatives
terrestrial animals such as wolves, bears, or apes share some
of displacer beasts that lived deep underground, and only
kinship with humans. Several of the more common examples
within the last decade moved close enough to the surface to
encounter civilized races or even the subterranean-dwelling
dwarves. Whether a desire for fresh hunting grounds or simply of these creatures are presented below. They inhabit under-
ground areas where illithid lairs or cities can be found. It’s
an opportunity to indulge their base curiosity resulted in the unknown whether these beasts are simply attracted to the
hounds moving toward the surface of the world, they seem regions where mind flayers live or are deliberately domesticated

here to stay. by illithids.

Hounds are aggressive and fierce, but they are not dumb ani-
mals. When hunting, a hound makes use of terrain to gain any EMBRAC
possible advantage. They are normally solitary, but mated pairs Large Aberration
have been encountered. These work together to kill or drive Hit Dice: 11d8+22 (71 hp)
off any threats to their young. Despite the danger presented Initiative: –1
by such fearsome parents, some of the more evil subterranean Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares)
races have taken up the practice of capturing young hounds to Armor Class: 15 (–1 size, –1 Dex, +7 natural), touch 8, flat-

raise and train. Specifically, the neogi, the drow, the grell, and footed 15

the mind flayers all see a use in the powerful beasts. If a pup is Base Attack/Grapple: +8/+16
taken young enough, it accepts its new world easily, especially Attack: Tentacle +11 melee (2d4+4 plus poison)

if it’s well fed and allowed to fight. Some underground races Full Attack: 4 tentacles +11 melee (2d4+4 plus poison) and

have also trained hounds as gladiatorial beasts to fight and die bite +9 melee (2d6+2)
in arenas. Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
An average hound of the gloom weighs about 1,000 pounds. Special Attacks: Constrict 2d4+6, improved grab, poison,
Hounds understand Undercommon but do not speak any psionics
humanoid language (although they can converse with each Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft.
other in their own language). Saves: Fort +7, Ref +2, Will +10
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 8, Con 15, Int 4, Wis 13, Cha 9
COMBAT Skills: Hide +2 (+6 underground), Spot +8
Hounds ambush victims by leaping directly into melee. They Feats: Great Fortitude, Iron Will, Multiattack, Power Attack
use their natural climbing ability to reach a point above their Environment: Underground
target, then leap down in a deadly pounce from above. The crea- Organization: Solitary or pair
tures attack with bite, foreclaws, and the two larger tentacles Challenge Rating: 7
surrounding their heads, which are much longer than the Treasure: 50% normal
others. These two tentacles have a reach of 10 feet and end in Alignment: Often neutral
five-fingered hands that look almost identical to human hands, Advancement: 12–16 HD (Large); 17–33 HD (Huge)

except they have strong, sharp claws instead of nails. Level Adjustment: —
Once engaged, a hound uses its bite and claw attacks against
a single foe. A target that withstands several blows or one that This hulking creature’s body resembles a big sack. Its slimy skin is
deals the hound a significant amount of damage is the target blotched with black, gray, white, and a dull red. It has stout limbs

of the hound’s poisoned hands. that are clawed at the ends, and its large, lumpy head bears a
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, the hound must saw-edged beak. Eight tentacles are arrayed more or less evenly
hit with a tentacle attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple across its wrinkled body. Each tentacle is as thick as a man’s thigh
as a free action without provoking attacks of opportunity. at its base and tapers down to three fi ngerlike appendages at the
Poison (Ex): Injury, Fortitude DC 23, initial and secondary end. The tentacles also have numerous suckers and bony hooks
damage 1d8 Dex. The save DC is Constitution-based. on their undersides.
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