Page 85 - Lords of Madness: The Book of Aberrations

The kuo-toa clerics that formerly maintained this shrine orders to guard the rotunda, and thralls show little initiative
concealed a glyph of warding in the carvings. Anyone who in interpreting their commands.
actually studies them (makes a Decipher Script, Knowledge,
or Search check, or spends 1 minute or more in close scrutiny) 4. CLOAKROOM (EL 0 OR 9)
triggers the glyph. The glyph (DC 28 Search check to find, DC This small room once served as a cloakroom for the temple;

28 Disable Device check to disable) is a spell glyph, which bronze hooks still hang on the walls, and low stone benches ring
casts bestow curse (DC 14 Will save) on the reader. The curse the chamber. Small heaps of rubbish, nestlike mounds of moss
imposes a horrible sense of dislocation and alienation, resulting and debris, and the strong smell of rotting meat fi ll the room
in a –4 penalty on attack rolls, saves, ability checks, and skill now.
checks.
CHAPTER 4 THE MIND FLAYERS If any fighting or loud noise (such as the door from area This room adjoining the vestibule was originally used by the

clerics of Blibdoolpoolp as a place to discuss matters of business
2 being forced open with a Strength check) takes place in
to the shrine. The two intellect devourers now make their lair
this room, Sarkt’s prized pets—a pair of intellect devour-
ers—emerge from area 4 to investigate. (If you do not use
in this room. The kuo-toa thralls bring them food regularly,
psionic monsters in your campaign, substitute a single spirit
naga for the two intellect devourers.) so the creatures always keep aware of any comings and goings
through the temple in case there’s food involved. They have
become accustomed to the thralls and don’t bother them. They
Intellect Devourer (2): CR 7; Small aberration (evil); HD attack any other creatures entering the shrine.

6d8+15; hp 41, 37; Init +5; Spd 40 ft.; AC 21, touch 16, flat-footed If the PCs did not encounter the intellect devourers in area
16; Base Atk +4; Grp +1; Atk +10 melee (1d3+1, claw); Full Atk 3, they meet the creatures here.
+10 melee (1d3+1, 4 claws); SA body thief, psi-like abilities; SQ Sarkt allows the devourers to keep some of the baubles from
blindsight 60 ft., damage reduction 10/adamantine, immunity their victims. This amounts to 180 cp, 540 sp, 230 gp, a blue
to fire, power resistance 23, resistance to electricity 15, vulner- quartz (10 gp), a moonstone (50 gp), and a rotted fur mantle

ability to protection from evil; AL CE; SV Fort +4, Ref +7, Will with a black pearl sewn into a concealed pocket (500 gp).
+6; Str 13, Dex 21, Con 15, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 14.
Skills and Feats: Bluff +15, Concentration +11 (+15 when 5. ROTUNDA (EL 7 TO 8)
manifesting defensively), Hide +14, Listen +14, Move Silently This domed chamber seems to have been a shrine to Blibdool-
+16; Combat Manifestation, Up the Walls, Weapon Finesse, poolp. Its multicolored mosaic fl oor is chipped, stained, and
Wild Talent. blanketed by moss and slime in many places. The lurid painting
Language: Common. that decorated the ceiling is in even worse shape. It’s impossible
Body Thief (Su): As a full-round action, an intellect devourer to discern what it once portrayed through the cracks, moisture
can merge its form with a dead or helpless creature, psionically stains, and dripping water. Eight alcoves in the walls each hold
consuming the brain and reanimating the body. This resembles odd-looking statues of green stone in various poses. All seem to be
a polymorph spell used to assume the victim’s form. human nudes, but the arms and heads have been broken off, and
Psi-Like Abilities: At will—cloud mind, compression, detect dark round objects set in the place where the heads used to be.
psionics, ego whip (2d4 Cha, DC 16), empty mind (+5 on Will Three old bronze doors lead from this chamber, spaced equally
saves), id insinuation (three targets, DC 16); 3/day—body along the curving wall.
adjustment (2d12 hp), intellect fortress, painful strike. Manifester Several kuo-toa warriors wait here, armed with spears and
level 7th. shields.
Vulnerability to Protection from Evil (Ex): An intellect devourer
is treated as a summoned creature when affected by protection This room was formerly a shrine to the kuo-toa deity Blib-
from evil. doolpoolp, the heart of the temple complex. The doors appear
heavy and corroded, but they open easily enough; Sarkt has
Sarkt has trained these intellect devourers for physical and had its thralls repair them.
psychic combat since they were quite young, and they have A kuo-toa cleric and two average kuo-toas stand guard here.
the Weapon Finesse feat instead of the Toughness feat. If the PCs allowed the kuo-toas from area 2 to escape, they are
The intellect devourers coordinate their attacks, attempting here as well.
to confuse as many foes as possible with a pair of id insinuation The cleric hangs back for 2 rounds and casts a spell to ready
attacks. Whichever devourer makes a more effective opening itself for combat (divine favor or shield of faith) and an attack spell
attack continues to concentrate, keeping its victims confused, against an intruder. Then it joins the melee, hoping to catch
while the other devourer leaps into melee and tears apart any a spellcaster in its pincer staff.
victims who are not confused. Three rounds after a fight begins, the kuo-toas receive

Despite the fact that the kuo-toas in area 5 can easily hear reinforcements from area 7: another kuo-toa and a troll.
any fight in here, they do not investigate. Sarkt gave them Kuo-toa (2 to 4): hp 11 each; Monster Manual page 163.

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