Director

Hive mother

Director

Eye of the deep

grapple as a free action without provoking attacks of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold.

Swallow Whole (Ex): A hive mother can try to swallow a grabbed opponent that is at least two size categories smaller than itself by making a successful grapple check. Once swallowed, the opponent takes 2d8+7 points of crushing damage plus 2d8 points of acid damage per round from the hive mother’s gizzard. A swallowed creature can cut its way out by using a light slashing or piercing weapon to deal 15 points of damage to the gizzard (Armor Class 20). Once the creature exits, muscular action closes the hole; another swallowed opponent must cut its own way out. A Huge hive mother’s gizzard can hold 1 Medium, 2 Small, 8 Tiny, or 32 Diminutive or smaller opponents.

Antimagic Cone (Su): A hive mother’s central eye continually produces a 240-foot cone of antimagic. This functions just like antimagic fi eld (caster level 20th). All magical and supernatural powers and effects within the cone are suppressed—even the hive mother’s own eye rays. Once each round, during its turn, the hive mother decides whether the antimagic cone is active or not (the hive mother deactivates the cone by shutting its central eye).

Flight (Ex): A hive mother’s body is naturally buoyant. This buoyancy allows it to fl y at a speed of 20 feet. This buoyancy also grants it a permanent feather fall effect (as the spell) with personal range.

Large Aberration Hit Dice: 8d8+24 (60 hp) Initiative: +1 Speed: 5 ft. (1 square), fl y 20 ft. (good) Armor Class: 24 (–1 size, +1 Dex, +10 natural, +4 defl ection), touch 14, fl at-footed 23 Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+11 Attack: Eye rays +6 ranged touch and tentacle +6 melee (1d6) Full Attack: Eye rays +6 ranged touch and 3 tentacles +6 melee (1d6) and bite +4 melee (1d8) Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Eye rays Special Qualities: All-around vision, darkvision 60 ft., defl ection, fl ight, spell resistance 16, verminbond Saves: Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +7 Abilities: Str 12, Dex 12, Con 16, Int 15, Wis 12, Cha 19 Skills: Handle Animal +23*, Listen +14, Ride +22*, Search +6, Spot +18 Feats: AlertnessB, Mounted Archery, Mounted Combat,

Multiattack Environment: Cold hills Organization: Solitary, pair, or cluster (3–6) plus an equal number of assorted vermin Challenge Rating: 8 Treasure: Standard Alignment: Usually lawful evil Advancement: 9–16 HD (Large); 17–24 HD (Huge) Level Adjustment: —

This bloated sphere of green fl esh is armored with hundreds of interlocking chitinous plates. Six stalked eyes writhe atop the sphere, and three cruelly barbed tentacles trail below it. A single eye stares from one side of the sphere, just above a maw fi lled with needle-sharp teeth.

Directors serve as cavalry units for beholder cities; their ability to bond with and completely control their vermin mounts makes them invaluable as troops in wars against enemies of other races. Directors are about 6 feet in diameter. An average director can weigh up to 1,800 pounds. Directors speak Beholder and Common.

Combat

Although a director has several potent eye rays, it can also infl ict terrible wounds with its bite and tentacles. Most directors avoid combat unless they have a bonded mount. When

Illus. by M. Cotie