Page 71 - Lords of Madness: The Book of Aberrations

There is no universal size or appearance for a resonance creature that succeeds on this save is immune to that stone’s
stone. They can be made from any mineral. Crystal, marble, effect for 24 hours. A creature that fails the save but leaves the
quartz, and precious gems are the most common materials. area and reenters can attempt a new saving throw, but it takes
In volume, they vary from the size of a pea (which would be a –2 penalty on the second and all subsequent saving throws
worn on a ring or necklace beneath the clothes) to the size of made against the same resonance stone in the same 24-hour
a melon (powerful enough to flood a small auditorium with period. Mind flayers receive a +4 racial bonus on saves against

emotion). The largest known resonance stone is the great globe resonance stone effects.
suspended from the ceiling of the plaza in the illithid city of Sample stones are presented below.
Resonance Stone of Despair: All creatures that come
Lagurno (see below), but it is exceptional in every way. The within 30 feet of this resonance stone must succeed on a DC
average stone is around the size of a large egg.
CHAPTER 4 THE MIND FLAYERS Resonance stones are always active. Any sentient being that 16 Will save or be affected as if by crushing despair for as long
approaches within the stone’s radius of effect experiences the
as they remain in the affected area.
Moderate enchantment; CL 7th; Craft Wondrous Item,

emotion that it broadcasts. At first, this sensation is faint. As
one draws nearer, the emotion rises quickly in intensity to the
crushing despair or telepathy special ability; Price 56,000 gp.
Resonance Stone of Fear: All creatures that come within
imprinted level. If the stone is touched, the intensity jumps
up sharply. 30 feet of this resonance stone must succeed on a DC 16 Will
Illithids use resonance stones casually as decorations. In save or be affected as if by fear.

an illithid’s home, one could expect to find resonance stones Moderate necromancy; CL 7th; Craft Wondrous Item, fear
emitting a sense of deep self-satisfaction, pride, feelings of or telepathy special ability; Price 56,000 gp.

personal superiority, or confidence. In public places, resonance Resonance Stone of Delirium: All creatures that come
stones might be positioned to heighten feelings of responsibil- within 30 feet of this resonance stone must succeed on a DC
ity, duty, loyalty, or racial superiority. At a performance eating 14 Will save or be nauseated and blinded for 1 minute.
event (see Performance Eating Area, below), the performance Moderate enchantment; CL 7th; Craft Wondrous Item, major
could be heightened through the use of stones that broadcast image or telepathy special ability; Price 45,000 gp.
a sense of anticipation, gradually changing to delight followed
by satisfaction.
To illithids, these emotions convey the same nostalgic con- THE WHISPERING SHADOW
notations that smells carry for a human. The familiar feeling of Of all questions surrounding illithids, “Where did they come
home has a literal meaning to a mind flayer. Many can navigate from?” is the most mysterious. For an answer to this riddle,

through their homes or even through public spaces by sensing scholars are limited to scraps of clues from a handful of ancient
emotions only. texts. The clearest reference is found in The Planetreader’s Primer,
Besides offering a pleasant diversion, resonance stones a book of primeval knowledge published (reputedly) in the
serve a vital function as well. A newly ceremorphosed mind great city at the center of all, Sigil. It speaks in certain terms
flayer has no experience with emotions. When it suddenly of an illithid empire that spanned worlds in a time predat-

becomes sentient, its mind is bombarded with thoughts and ing memory. So mighty was this empire that its expansion
feelings from all directions. A nearby resonance stone calms threatened to consume even the eternal Blood War before it

the tumult and floods the creature with feelings of reassurance was turned back.
and contentment. As it adjusts to its new body, develops psionic The Astromundi Chronicles, a text of ancient yet unknown
powers, and acclimates to the unvarying presence of the elder origin, speaks of the illithids as “a race of monstrous spawn,
brain, a resonance stone, rather than a parent, is its constant hidden beneath the world by their progenitors.” No clue is

companion. In other words, mind flayers learn emotions from given as to the identity of these progenitors. The text suggests
resonance stones, not from one another. They do not fall in that the illithids hated their creators with such passion that
love or even form friendships beyond useful acquaintances. they lashed out against them and destroyed them utterly,
Resonance stones fill their emotional needs. leaving no trace of their existence for the modern scholar to

Resonance stones can be turned to darker, more destructive examine.
purposes, too. Stones that radiate feelings of hopelessness and The most archaic of all sources is a set of stone tablets known
helplessness are frequently used to keep newly captured prison- as the Sargonne Prophecies, named for the city of disturbing
ers docile before they can be enthralled. Similarly, stones that ruins called Sargonne. The crumbling tablets contain passages
radiate feelings of satisfaction and resignation can be scattered so cryptic that they have been interpreted as prophecies rather
across the floor of a pit where captives are held, to keep them than as history. Each bears a central likeness of what is unmis-

quiet and prevent fighting. A stone emitting horror, despair, takably a mind flayer. The inscribed runes present a troubling

or surrender can be useful during interrogation. aspect to the observer. They tell of an illithid world “bathed in

Creatures subjected to a resonance stone effect can attempt eternal night” that is destroyed by some fiery cataclysm, from

Will saves (save DC varies by stone type) to resist the effect. A which the illithids flee in flying ships.
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