90
The Diamond Throne
Environment: Any underground Organization: Solitary, pair, or cabal (3–8) Challenge Rating: 10 Treasure: Double standard Advancement: 11–12 HD (Large); 13–18 HD (Huge) or by class Level Adjustment: +7 * Includes a racial bonus.
Slassans stand out as perhaps the pinnacle of the dramojh magical breeding experiments. Yet, unlike so many of those horrid experiments, it appears that no human slaves were involved. Instead, slassans are the closest things left to actual dramojh that still exist. When their masters were wiped out, the slassans fled underground, discovering a vast network of natural caves and tunnels known to its inhabitants as the Dark Depths. They quickly used their sorcerous powers to carve out underground kingdoms for themselves. Many slassans kidnap people from the surface world to continue their masters’ hideous magical experiments. A slassan seems to incorporate all the worst aspects of a serpent and a spider. It has a wide, bloated body covered in thick carapace and surrounded by eight legs—each ending in a cruel barb. Its head is vaguely serpentine and connected to its body on a long, snaky neck. Its mouth is filled with dozens of needlelike teeth. A typical slassan’s body measures 5 feet in diameter (not counting the legs) and weighs 400 lbs. They do not have hands to manipulate objects, so they use their telekinetic abilities or slaves for such tasks. Slassans normally organize themselves into small groups called cabals. They never have leaders—even when one slassan is clearly more powerful than others. Instead, when in groups they operate as a gathering of equals and make important decisions based on majority rule. They are driven by xenophobia and a desire for personal and racial power. Other creatures are simply tools to utilize or cattle to feed upon—never anything more. However, they treat each other fairly (although never kindly) and with respect. Slassans speak Common, Draconic, and Undercommon.
Combat A slassan has venom sacs not only in its mouth but on each leg as well. Nevertheless, they prefer to use their spell-like abilities rather than engage in melee when possible. Extremely intelligent, slassans know when to flee if they have to and usually have a fallback plan. They prefer to set ambushes and strike when their foes least expect it. They also like to take a few prisoners to experiment upon. Spell-Like Abilities (Sp): At will—lesser telekinesis, read magic; 3/day—animate weapon, eldritch web, detect magic, dimensional door, lesser illusory creature, lesser illusory object, invisibility, mind stab, and sorcerous blast; 1/day—conjure energy creature VI, dispel magic, greater eldritch wall, greater telekinesis lesser animate undead, and levitate. These abilities
are as the spells cast by a 15th-level magister (save DC 15 + spell level), although a slassan needs no focus or somatic components. Poison (Ex): Bite, Fortitude save (DC 17); initial and secondary damage 2d6 points of temporary Constitution. Poison (Ex): Claws, Fortitude save (DC 17); initial and secondary damage 2d6 points of temporary Strength. Quicken Spell-Like Abilities (Su): A slassan can quicken its spell-like abilities in the same way that a mage with the Quicken Spell feat can quicken her spells. It can use this ability three times per day. Camouflage (Ex): Due to their dark coloration and natural predilection for subterfuge, slassans gain a +4 bonus to Sneak checks.
Slassan Characters Some slassans study mystical lore in order to become true spellcasters. They prefer the magister class, although slassan witches and runethanes are not unknown. Such spellcasters also become darkbonds on occasion.
Slassan Encounter (EL 10) The PCs must find the fabled cup of the dramojh, a minor artifact that transforms any liquid placed within it into a powerful acid—it’s the only thing that will destroy a cursed ring that won’t come off one PC’s finger. An akashic sage tells them that to find the cup, they must find a slassan named Tessanslas. To get to him, however, the characters must journey underground, encountering all sorts of hazards, including magical traps and tricks created by the slassan himself. Worst of all—though perhaps not surprisingly— Tessanslas does not seem disposed to help them. Now they must either subdue him in battle, magically compel him, or find some way to bargain with the selfish and cruel creature. Some Diplomacy checks, or perhaps even magical divinations or akashic research, reveal that Tessanslas is an outcast even among his own kind. He will help the PCs if they can somehow get him back into the good graces of the other slassans—perhaps if they were to provide him with a powerful magical gift that he could in turn present to the others, he might cooperate.
Xaaer Huge Ooze Hit Dice: 14d10 + 70 (147 hp), dying/dead –6/–21 Initiative: +0 Speed: 20 feet, climb 20 feet AC: 15 (–2 size, –3 Dexterity, +10 natural) Base Attack/Grapple: +10/+22 Attack: Slam +14 melee (2d6 + 9 plus 2d6 points of negative energy) Full Attack: Slam +14 melee (2d6 + 9 plus 2d6 points of negative energy)
