52
Legacy of the Dragons
Hypnolox Large Magical Beast Hit Dice: 8d10+16 (60 hp), dying/dead –3/–14 Initiative: +7 Speed: 40 feet, climb 30 feet AC: 19 (–1 size, +3 Dexterity, +7 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 16 Base Attack/Grapple: +8/+15 Attack: Stinger +10 melee (1d8+3 plus poison) Full Attack: 2 stingers +10 melee (1d8+3 plus poison) and bite +5 melee (1d6+1) Space/Reach: 10 feet/10 feet (Face/Reach: 10 feet by 5 feet/10 feet) Special Attacks: Glaring eyes, hypnosis, poison Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 feet, glittering shell Saves: Fort +4, Ref +9, Will +7 Abilities: Str 16, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 18 Skills: Intimidate +9, Listen* +10, Sneak *+7, Spot +5 Feats: Ability Focus** (glaring eyes), Combat Reflexes, Defensive, Improved Initiative Environment: Any subterranean Organization: Solitary or colony (2–8 plus 3–30 slaves) Challenge Rating: 8 Treasure: Standard Advancement: By character class Level Adjustment: +6 ** Denotes a feat from the MM.
This insectoid creature has a long, segmented body and over a dozen legs. Its two large red eyes can cause agonizing hallucinations in creatures that gaze into them, leaving them helpless. A pair of stingers emerges from directly behind its head, mounted on bony, L-shaped limbs that it uses to stab down at its foes. The hypnolox’s black carapace reflects light, sometimes dazzling the eyes of those fighting it by torchlight. Hypnoloxes lurk in dark places beneath the earth. They are intelligent, deadly, and aggressive, with a maniacal bent on capturing and enslaving humanoid creatures. According to hypnolox legends, they once ruled the lands above and cloaked the realm in a halo of darkness. Even akashics can find no memory evidence to support such claims; nevertheless, these creatures become enraged at the merest hint that their supposed former empire never existed. This reaction hints at a dark secret that casts the hypnoloxes in a sinister light. The few akashics who are aware of these creatures believe that they represent the polar opposite of the collective, akashic memory. According to a clouded, incomplete body of lore, hypnoloxes can literally devour memories. They manifest this effect in the form of their baleful gaze, a magical attack that can scramble a creature’s mind and leave it confused. The victims never recognize that they have lost memories, as they tend to be minor. Over time, though, these losses have led to increasing gaps within the akashic memory.
Hypnoloxes relish their role as devourers of the world’s shared heritage. Hateful, spiteful, and bitter over their supposed lost glory, they hide within their caves and attack any creatures that draw close. Opponents that seem useful but not overly powerful are captured and forced into servitude. The powerful hypnolox personality can pummel a creature into service through sheer force of will. These “mind slaves” gather treasure, hamper others’ efforts to explore the depths of the earth, and spread misery and political instability through the land. Hypnolox slaves may poison granaries, set fire to crops, and incite riots, all with an eye toward toppling civilization.
Combat Hypnoloxes relish physical combat against humanoids, because it gives them a chance to prove their superiority. They prefer to attack intruders within tight, constrained passages to affect as many enemies as possible with their gaze attack. They focus on using their poison to render a creature unable to resist their supernatural abilities. Usually, a hypnolox picks out one foe as a potential slave and focuses on destroying the rest. This tactic can backfire if the hypnolox underestimates the strength and ability of its chosen victim. * Skills (Ex): A hypnolox’s long, sensitive antennae grant it a +4 racial bonus to all Listen checks. In addition, the hypnolox’s dark carapace grants it a +4 racial bonus to Sneak checks made to hide in dark or shadowy areas. As a rule, if a hypnolox gains concealment from darkness, it receives this bonus. Glaring Eyes (Su): A hypnolox’s red eyes pulse and seethe with magical energy. Any creature that gazes into them risks suffering one of a variety of mind-affecting effects. The eyes’ hypnotic nature allows them to induce hallucinations, confusion, intense pain, or other trauma. This is a gaze attack with a range of 30 feet and a Will save DC of 20. The save DC is Charisma based. Each time a character fails a save against this ability, roll on the following table to determine the effect. d20 Effect 1–4 Hallucinations: The victim attacks a randomly determined target within his threatened area. 5–8 Pain: The victim takes 3d6 points of damage. 9–12 Dazed: The victim loses his current action. 13–16 Nausea: The victim takes 1d2 points of temporary Strength damage. This damage disappears at the end of the encounter. 17–20 Mind Sludge: The victim’s thought process slows down and becomes scrambled. He takes 1d2 points of temporary Wisdom damage that disappears at the end of the encounter. Hypnosis (Su): If a victim suffers exposure to a hypnolox’s gaze attack for a full hour, the beast can infuse it with an obedient, fearful personality. This effect functions as a heightened version of greater dominate as cast by a 20th-level
