Page 197 - Lords of Madness: The Book of Aberrations

PLAYING A and messages you uncover while investigating a cult, in
KEEPER OF THE CERULEAN SIGN Knowledge (dungeoneering) to keep up on aberration lore,
You tend to be enigmatic, yet intrigue others with your words. and in Sense Motive to aid in detecting if people are being
Your beliefs are based on ideals and concepts that predate the magically manipulated. Spell Penetration and Greater Spell
world’s current governments, religions, and societies, yet those Penetration are good choices for feats, since many aberrations
ideas remain as compelling as anything those societies have have spell resistance. Likewise, since many aberrations have
to offer. The Cerulean Sign has survived the eons not only powerful mental attacks, Iron Will is always a good choice.
because of the power it carries but for the primal ideals and Since you will be fighting cultists more often than not, it’s

needs it represents. probably a good idea to improve your combat skills by taking
You can be rather mysterious regarding your motives and
feats such as Weapon Focus and Dodge.
CHAPTER 9 THE ABERRATION HUNTER needs. You know that the tendrils of aberrant taint can slip Similarly, it can’t hurt to invest in an aberration bane weapon.
Such a weapon can quickly take apart most of the creatures you
unseen into the minds of the unsuspecting, so you keep what
will end up fighting. You might want to look into buying items
you know to yourself for fear of exposing your plans and secrets

to the enemy. Your enemies include not only beholder cultists,
that enhance your skills, as well, such as a circlet of persuasion
slavers who sell to the neogi, and thralls of the illithids, but
also the aberrations themselves, and their ageless, unknowable, or a rod of splendor. A rod of rulership can go a long way toward
wresting control of a large number of cultists away from their
primal masters that lurk beyond the veil of reality. unhuman leaders. You should also not hesitate to seek out

Yet, unlike the abolishers of the Circle of the True, you and magic items that specifically defeat common aberration attacks.
your fellows are not pessimistic and dour people. On the con- A vest of escape can aid in getting out of grapple attacks, for
trary, you have a powerful personality and are quite passionate example, and a scarab of protection is invaluable when you face
about what you believe in. You must be, if you want to combat an aberration with instant death attacks (such as a beholder).
the insidious aberration cults that fester in the suggestible Finally, don’t forget to upgrade your cerulean sign as you
corners of the world. gain levels. This magic item is quite helpful, and enhancing
its bonuses only makes it more so.
Combat
As a keeper of the Cerulean Sign, you are best at using your Resources
magic and your skills to fight enemies. In most combats you As a keeper of the Cerulean Sign, you do not have an organiza-

fall back to a supporting role, using your spells to augment the tion or guild to back you up. You are guided purely by your
better fighters in the group or to tend to the injured. own conscience and your need to oppose the aberration cults

Against aberrations and those who forsake their kin to that constantly threaten society. Yet you are not alone in the
throw in their lot with aberrations, you can be a terrible foe world.
indeed. Many keepers take one or two levels in a fighting class The Circle of the True supports the keepers as best they can,

just to augment their combat skills for the inevitable conflicts providing a safe place for you to rest and recover, or sending

with aberrations and their cultists, but even without such along fighters or abolishers to help eradicate a cult when one

measures, your ability to smite cultists can rapidly turn the is discovered. See page 217 for more information on the Circle
battle against these foes. If you have bard levels, the Music of of the True.
the Outer Spheres feat (see page 181) is an excellent choice to
aid in your struggles against aberrations. KEEPERS IN THE WORLD
The PCs normally won’t attract the attentions of a keeper of the
Advancement Cerulean Sign—unless, of course, one of them is an aberration
As you gain levels in this prestige class, you should maintain cultist (or an aberration).

maximum ranks in Bluff to trick cultists into thinking you’re It’s far more likely that the PCs find themselves working

one of them, in Decipher Script to make sense of weird tomes with a keeper, even if they do not realize it at first. They might
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CERULEAN SIGN grants the carrier a +1 resistance bonus on all Will saving throws
The ancient cerulean sign is a potent symbol against aberra- made against effects that originate from aberrations.
tions and their ilk. Said to be an ancient glyph that captures and If worn, a cerulean sign also grants a luck bonus to your Armor
focuses the power of the natural world, an item of jewelry that Class and on all saving throws against attacks from aberrations,
bears a properly crafted cerulean sign becomes a potent ward as well as a luck bonus on level checks made to penetrate an
against creatures from outside the natural order. aberration’s spell resistance. The magnitude of this luck bonus
A cerulean sign is usually crafted as an amulet, but it can ranges from +1 to +5.
sometimes be found in the form of a mantle, medallion, periapt, Moderate abjuration; CL 7th; Craft Wondrous Item, invoke the
or ring. As long as a cerulean sign is carried (either in the hand cerulean sign†; Price 4,000 gp (+1), 16,000 gp (+2), 36,000 gp
or in a pocket or container you are wearing, excluding those (+3), 60,000 gp (+4), 100,000 gp (+5).
that create extradimensional spaces, such as bags of holding), it †New spell described on page 211.
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