Ghaunadaur - extensive info

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the church champion of faith spells

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Ghaunadaur
(That Which Lurks, the Elder Eye, the Ancient One)

Lesser Power of the Paraelemental Plane of Ooze, CE

PORTFOLIO: Oozes, slimes, jellies, outcasts, ropers, rebels,
all things subterranean
ALIASES: Ghaunadar, Gormauth Souldrinker, Juiblex,
the Elder Elemental God
DOMAIN NAME: Paraelemental Plane of Ooze/The Cauldron of Slime
SUPERIOR: None
ALLIES: Bwimb (dead), Moander (dead)
FOES: Deep Duerra, Eilistraee, Gargauth, Laduguer, Lolth, the Seldarine, Selvetarm,
Vhaeraun, Malar, Blibdoolpoolp, the Blood Queen, Diinkarazan, Diirinka,
Great Mother, Gzemnid, llsensine, Ilxendren, Laogzed, Maanzecorian (dead),
Psilofyr
SYMBOL: Purple circle, outlined with an inner ring of violet
and an outer ring of black with a single black-rimmed,
violet-on-mauve eye in the center of the circle or (older
symbol) an inverted triangle of amber on a purple
background, with amber lines inside of it forming an
upside-down "Y" shape whose arms end by bisecting the
sides of the triangle.
WOR. ALIGN.: LN, N, CN, LE, NE, CE

Ghaunadaur (GONE-ah-door) is a fell deity that has plagued the darkest
reaches of the Realms since the dawn of time. That Which Lurks appears
as an amorphous, dark purple blob with many tentacles. It is venerated
by the largest slimes, oozes, slugs, and other crawling things-some of
which are said to possess intelligence, albeit alien. Once all such
beings worshiped Ghaunadaur, but it struck most of them mad in a fit of
fury for some transgression-said by some to involve its failure to
defeat Lolth shortly after her banishment from the Seldarine- and stole
their intellects. As a result, many of its worshipers, and most of its
power, ceased to exist. That Which Lurks and its giant roper servants
have been venerated for eons by various creatures of the Underdark,
particularly lone or subintelligent monsters and other outcasts (whom
it occasionally aids, in return for adulation), as well as the few
intelligent amorphs that remain. Evil beings seeking an alternative to
established deities-including drow dissatisfied with the rule of
Lolth-have also begun to worship That Which Lurks. Most humans find the
worship of Ghaunadaur disgusting, but there are secret, subterranean
altars and cults to the Elder Eye all over Tori], particularly in the
older and more degenerate lands of the southern Sword Coast, Thay, and
Kara-Tur.

Although Ghaunadaur is a distinct entity unrelated to the tanar'ri lord
Juiblex, the Faceless Lord, or the otherwise unnamed Elder Elemental
God neither of the latter two powers is active in the Realms, and
Ghaunadaur ha^ assumed both of their aspects within the crystal sphere
of Realmspace. Gormauth Souldrinker may have once been the name of a
separate power, but if so, it has long been totally subsumed by That
Which Lurks. Some rumors hold that Ghaunadaur occasionally lurks on the
Elemental Plane of Earth and the Paraelemental Plane of Smoke, while
others place him in the Abyss.

Ghaunadaur is unpredictable by human standards. It may aid worshipers
who merely pay lip service to its rituals-even expending great power to
grant permanent magical boons-but may also devour or maim them, without
warning. Ghaunadaur enjoys watching the hunting and devouring
activities of large horrible monsters and the suffering they cause.
Ghaunadaur is silent and terrible when outside the Inner Planes, but
old records tell of gibbering, bestial language spoken in the deity's
great court of mingled mud and gelatin pools. Ghaunadaur only
communicates telepathically with blunt and simple communications (for
example, "Approve," No," "Not," "Slay," "Come to Me," "Go to [mental
picture of desired place]," and so on).

Ghaunadaur's Avatar (Fighter 27, Cleric 25, Mage 21)

Ghaunadaur appears as a reddish-purple giant slug, but at will it can
alter its form into an amorphous free-flowing shape like a jelly, rear
up into a giant roper with up to 10 long purple tentacles, or appear as
a sticky green substance that emerges from the ground. It favors spells
from the chaos, combat, elemental, sun (reversed), thought, and war
spheres and from the alteration and conjuration/summoning schools, as
well as all elemental wizard spells. However, it can cast spells from
any sphere or school. Elemental magic wielded by it always has the
maximum possible effect.

AC -1 (-3); MV 12; HP 205; THACO -6; #AT 10 Dmg
2d6 (corrosive touch) MR 50%; SZ G (26 feet long or in
diameter) STR 24, DEX 19, CON 22, INT 18, Wis 18, CHA
7 Spells P: 11/11/10/10/9/8/4, W: 5/5/5/5/5/4/4/4/2
Saves PPDM 2, RSW 3, PP 4, BW 4, Sp 4

Special Att/Def; Ghaunadaur creeps along silently and can cloak itself
at will in mauve or violet mists that eddy and flow, foiling attacks
that require their target to be seen, including spells such as magic
missile, and improve its Armor Class to the value given in parentheses
above. The mists foil heat-related detections of all sorts but can be
pierced by true seeing magic. Any being within Ghaunadaur's mists must
succeed at a saving throw vs. breath weapon every round or be slowed
(as by the spell) on the round that follows. The Elder Eye can emit its
violet and mauve mists once every third round to maintain a continuous
cloud surrounding it in a 5-foot radius. (However, the mists do not
move with Ghaunadaur, who must keep emitting them to maintain them when
it moves or there is significant air movement in its vicinity.) Once
per turn it can jet thick purple mist, with the same effects, that
extends the cloud outward to a 20-foot radius for 2 rounds. Immediately
thereafter, however, the mists dissipate entirely and cannot be renewed
until another round has passed- Ghaunadaur always has true seeing, even
through its own mists.

Once per day, Ghaunadaur can cause blindness in creatures that it
desires to affect within a 20-foot radius. Targets must succeed at a
saving throw vs. spell with a -3 penalty or be blinded. Their condition
lasts until a dispel magic or remove curse is applied. (Rest and cure
blindness or deafness spells do not suffice.)

Ghaunadaur's normal attack is to lash out with four to six tentacles.
Each tentacle can extend 30 feet and is studded with barbed hollow
teeth. When a tentacle hits a target, it grips with Ghaunadaur's full
strength. The target suffers 2d6 points of damage as corrosive fluids
well out from its teeth, and the target's movement is halted. Victims
are dragged 6 feet closer to Ghaunadaur each round but suffer no
further damage until they reach Ghaunadaur's mouth. Ghaunadaur's
saw-toothed maw does 3d4 points of damage to creatures dragged to it.
Ghaunadaur never employs more than two tentacles against the same
creature; the rest are held in reserve for her foes. The tentacles are
AC 6 and have 14 hp each.

Victims (and those who aid them) must make a successful Strength
ability check to avoid being dragged toward Ghaunadaur. On any round in
Inch the target's Strength roll equals or exceeds Ghaunadaur's, the
target can try to tear free from the tentacle by making a successful
Dexterity check. Tearing free does the target ld4+l points of further
damage. Lost tentacles are reabsorbed by Ghaunadaur.

Ghaunadaur is immune to all acids, drugs, and poisons. It can only be
struck by +1 or better magical weapons.

Other Manifestations

Ghaunadaur frequently (compared to most powers) manifests to aid
priests or worshipers who call on it and always in the same fashion. He
can also be summoned by great and audacious evil. One to three rounds
after a supplication (one to two if the worshiper has just drawn blood
from another creature), a roiling purple mist appears that grows in
size to a cloud 4 feet to 6 feet across. From the center of this cloud
comes a 12-inch-diameter gold eye that opens its lids to bathe the
favored creature in a fiery orange light. The light gradually fades to
deep red, then a dark purple. The entire cloud darkens to black and
shrinks away to nothingness. The process typically takes 8 rounds, and
this manifestation grants the following aid to favored beings: a +6
bonus to the being's Strength ability score (with attendant attack and
damage bonuses), double damage with every strike for ld8 rounds, and a
one-time healing (which occurs in the first round of its gaze) of 3d4
points of damage. It also regenerates severed limbs, lost faculties,
and permanently negates any diseases and/or poisons present in the
creature.

In the presence of an altar dedicated to its worship, Ghaunadaur can
manifest its eye within the unholy object and create up to three
tentacles emanating from the altar. Such tentacles have all the powers
of Ghaunadaur's avatar's tentacles, and the eye has all the abilities
described above as well as one of the following effects. (Roll ldl2 to
determine the fate of each creature seeing the eye.)

Roll Effect
1 Death (or catatonia*, at the DM's option)
2 Insanity* (gibbering, drooling feeblemindedness (as the feeble-mind
spell) broken by periods of incoherent frantic activity)
3 Rage* (attack companions until all are disabled or have fallen-
physical attacks only)
4 Fright and weakness* (50% instant Strength loss, with the probable
attendant need to discard armor, large weapons, and heavy treasure)
5 Unconsciousness for ld4+l 2 turns. During this time the victim
visibly ages 2dl2 years.
6-12 No effect (looked away in time)

* = Curable by application of a remove curse by a 12th-level caster spell.

The Church

CLERGY: Clerics, crusaders, specialty priests
CLERGY'S ALIGN.: CN, LE, NE, CE
TURN UNDEAD: C: No, Cru: No, SP: No
CMND. UNDEAD: C: Yes, Cru: No, SP: Yes

Ghaunadaur occasionally acts through the appearance or presence of
alkiliths, darktentacles, deadly puddings, gelatinous cubes, giant
ropers (also known as ghauropers, they have 15 Hit Dice and many unique
magical abilities), gibbering mouthers, ghaunadan, jellies, oozes,
metalmasters, mephits (ooze), ropers, slimes, slithering trackers,
slithermorphs, slugs, and storopers. He also shows his attention-for
widely varying reasons- through the discovery of solitary mauve roses
that drip blood from their thorns or amethysts, jasmals, purple
luriyls, rosalines, Shou Lung amethysts, violines, or yanolite
(ophealine) from the depths of which stares a single, baleful, golden
eye.

All clerics (including fighter/clerics), crusaders, and specialty
priests of Ghaunadaur receive religion (drow), religion (elven), and
reading/writing (drowic) as bonus nonweapon proficiencies.

Ghaunadaur is little known on the surface ofToril except for a few
small cults in large, decadent cities. Those who are aware of his
existence recoil in horror from the foulness of the Elder Eye's evil.
In the Underdark, Ghaunadaur is more widely known, particularly among
the dark elves. While speaking the Elder Eye's name is a crime
punishable by death in most cities dominated by priests of Lolth, most
drow are at least tangentially aware of the existence of this rival of
the Spider Queen.

Any living creature-even oozes and jellies-may join the clergy of the
Elder Eye, as Ghaunadaur values devotion over ability. All ghaunadan
are considered as members of the clergy, as are many slithermorphs.
Titles vary widely among Ghaunadaur's solid (nonamorphous) clergy, but
examples include Loathsome Ooze, Spawn of the Pit, Eater of Wastes,
Noxious Slime,
Creeping Doom, and Amorphous Annihilator. Specialty priests or
Ghaunadaur are known as amorphites and make up over 60% or the clergy.
Clerics, fighter/clerics, and crusaders make up 12%, 8%, and 5% of the
clergy, respectively, and the remainder includes a wide range of
miscellaneous creatures who are not priests. Almost all (95%) of the
solid clergy are male. Temples of Ghaunadaur are found throughout the
Realms in surface cities such as Bezantur (where it is known as
Juiblex), Calimport, Holldaybim (a drow city in the Forest of Mir),
Waterdeep, and Westgate. In the Underdark in the cities of the drow,
the Elder Eye's temples are found in strife-torn cities where the
clergy of rival powers are weak-Eryndlyn, located in hidden caves
beneath the High Moor, is riven by civil war between the faithful of
Lolth, Ghaunadaur, Sel-vetarm, and Vhaeraun-or absent altogether-Llurth
Dreier, a city of 400,000 dark elves and countless slimes, jellies, and
oozes located under the Shaar, northwest of the Deep Realm of the
dwarves, is ruled by the clergy of the Elder Eye. Ghaunadaur's temples
are sometimes located in the wilds of the Underdark, far from the
influence of cities led by the Spider Queen's priests. One such
example, beyond the reach of the priests of Guallidurth but better
known for having housed the Living Gem for many centuries, is located
beneath Forest of Mir.

Temples of the Elder Eye are typically lit by purple, mauve, and
lavender rays of light, radiances, and drifting, eddying luminous
mists. These temples are usually located underground, but sometimes
can be found concealed in remote ruins. The walls are decorated with
mosaics depicting beings of all races crawling in self-sacrifice to be
eaten by vaguely squidlike creatures, each with 10 hairy tentacles. The
devouring creatures (Ghaunadaur's long-unseen bodyguard ropers) are
purple, violet, and mottled mauve in hue. Temples to the Eye always
have well-polished floors, usually of porphyry, obsidian, red and black
hornblende, or black marble. Where black and purple materials are not
available, carpets and tapestries of those hues are used.

The altar chamber sports ceiling support pillars of polished obsidian,
malachite, or serpentine, graven with runes and symbols of Ghaunadaur.
When possible, these pillars are imbued with magical effects created by
priests of the Eye. (Ghaunadaur itself, if summoned with the proper
prayers, endows these magical effects with permanency.) Pillar
enchantments radiate magical fields of effect. These typically include
magical unease and insecurity affecting all beings who do not worship
Ghaunadaur. At least one pillar in each temple has a teleport rune,
known only to its priests. If the rune is touched, the priest is
transported to a prearranged sanctuary or a city location. Some of
these runes are traps: If a command word is whispered, they go to a
safe destination; if no word is uttered, they transport the activator
instead into a monster lair or other dangerous area or discharge
electricity or other baneful effects. Temples to Ghaunadaur typically
have a pillar-flanked aisle leading to the altar in three ascending
tiers. On the second tier is the altar, a dull, porous-looking, rusty
black rectangular stone. On the first tier, surrounding it on the
second, and hanging above the third are usually an assortment of gongs,
chimes, drums, candelabra, and braziers.

Dogma: All creatures have their place, and all are fit to wield power.
Those who hunt weed out the weak and strengthen the stock of all. Those
who rebel or who walk apart find new ways and try new things and do
most to advance their races. Creatures of power best house the energy
of life, which Ghaunadaur reveres and represents.

The faithful of Ghaunadaur are to make sacrifices to the Eye, persuade
others to sacrifice themselves to Ghaunadaur or in service of the Eye,
further the knowledge and fear of Ghaunadaur, and in the end give
themselves to Ghaunadaur in unresisting self-sacrifice. Priests of
Ghaunadaur are to convert all beings that they can to worship
Ghaunadaur. They must slay all clergy of other faiths, plundering their
temples and holdings for wealth to better their own lot and to further
the worship of Ghaunadaur.

Day-to-Day Activities: Priests of Ghaunadaur must do whatever pleases
Ghaunadaur best and serve the Eye absolutely. Priests of Ghaunadaur
have simple duties: They are to ensure, by force or threat, that a
ready supply of sacrifices reaches Ghaunadaur's altars. The god
supplies them with spells and tentacle rods to ensure success in this.
Most of all, Ghaunadaur delights in creatures that offer themselves to
him without resistance (regardless of whether these sacrifices have
been magically charmed or otherwise coerced by its clergy). Priests who
can bring such offerings to the Eye's altars often are highly valued
and favored by the god. Priests of Ghaunadaur are encouraged to become
familiar with the use and manufacture of acids, poisons (including
gases and incenses), and flaming oils of all sorts. (Temples and
priestly abodes are typically well supplied with such weapons in a
ready state.)

Holy Days/Important Ceremonies: Ghaunadaur expects a prayer of
adulation and praise, accompanied by a sacrifice, at least once per
day. If live sacrifices cannot be procured that often, the Elder Eye
accepts offerings of bones and food burned in oil. Braziers of perfumed
incense are also burned.

If a priest is unable to procure such offerings, the priest must pray
while holding one hand in an open flame. The priest's hand must be
covered with any magical oil or potion. (Oils or potions of fire
resistance are instantly converted to lamp oil, with the appropriate
results.) If the prayer is accepted (55% chance), the hand is healed of
any damage it sustains immediately after sustaining it.

In any place of worship to Ghaunadaur, all cloth furnishings and
garments worn by priests are to be of hues pleasing to Ghaunadaur's
eye. Acceptable colors are copper, amber, flame-orange, russet, gold,
dark red, plum, purple, amethyst, violet, heliotrope, mauve, lilac,
lavender, black, and silver.

Smoke and flame are to be a part of all sacrifices to Ghaunadaur. No
creature should speak out against the will of Ghaunadaur in the
presence of the Eye, its avatar, or its manifestation. If such defiance
occurs, a sacrifice of appeasement must be performed (preferably
involving the creature who defied the Elder Eye).

Major Centers of Worship: In the South, deep beneath the heart of
Sarenestar (also known as the Forest of Mir) is a place of great power
sacred to Ghaunadaur. This ancient subterranean site was discovered by
Clan Hune of Ilythiir prior to the Fourth Crown War. Following their
discovery, the dark elves built a great temple around a massive pit in
which dwelt a monstrous creature of evil placed there by the Elder Eye.
When the temple, known as the Elder Orb of Ooze, was completed, the
leaders of Clan Hune sought to draw on Ghaunadaur's power in
preparation for the coming conflict with Keltormir. The inscrutable
Elder Elemental God was displeased, however, and it lashed out of the
fools who dared call on its name by causing countless oozes, slimes,
jellies, and other horrid monsters to erupt from the pit and attack
everything they encountered. Many of Clan Hune's leaders were
destroyed, and the temple was abandoned shortly thereafter. Although
its location has been long-since forgotten, the ruined temple still
exists today, its defenses still active. Ghaunadaur assuredly inflicts
his wrath on any solid foolish enough to profane his place of power,
and some believe that fate of the wizard Shond Tharovin was sealed when
the would-be tyrant removed the Living Gem from the temple.

In the North, the Elder Eye's place of greatest power was the Pit of
Ghaunadaur, located deep beneath Mount Waterdeep. Several years after
her birth in the Year of the Awakening Wyrm (767 DR), Qilue Veladorn,
Chosen of Mystra and Eilistraee, led a handful of her dark elven
playmates from their tiny, now-vanished settlement of Buiyrandyn in an
assault on the Pit of Ghaunadaur. After destroying an avatar of
Ghaunadaur resident therein and causing its minions to flee or be
destroyed, the Chosen of Eilistraee (as the dark elven children were
collectively known) sealed the downward fissures and tunnels in the
temple by which Ghaunadaur's surviving minions had fled and caused a
rockfall that filled what was left of the Pit of Ghaunadaur. After
centuries of patrolling the passages around the Pit, the Chosen built a
temple of Eilistraee, which they named the Promenade, atop the
long-sealed Pit. That Which Lurks has never accepted the loss of its
place of power in what is now the third level of Undermountain north
and east of the subterranean city of Skullport, and its minions have
remained active in the region. For several years, a circle of ghaunadan
based in a small temple to the Elder Eye in a hidden cellar beneath a
warehouse in Dock Ward have been active in Waterdeep and Halastar's
Halls. In the Year of the Banner (1368 DR), Ghaunadaur's cultists-12
ghaunadan commanders and approximately 50 semi-intelligent slimes and
oozes - began a full-scale assault on the Promenade from the northern
and eastern caverns that lasted several months. While the Chosen of
Eilistraee ultimately prevailed-thanks in part to the assistance of
Qilue's sister, Laeral Silverhand-and drove off their foes, the
followers of Ghaunadaur were not destroyed, and the cult continues to
rebuild its strength in preparation for another assault.

Affiliated Orders: The Fanatics of the Overflowing Pit were an elite
order of dark elven crusaders of Ghaunadaur in ancient Ilythiir-the
moon and dark elf domains in the woods south of the Lake of Steam in
the forests that once covered the Shaar-who waged endless war on the
clergies of rival faiths. While Ilythiir fell over ten thousand years
ago with the Seldarine-mandated Descent of the Drow, it is believed
that the order survives in some form in the city of Llurth Dreier
underneath the Shaar.

Priestly Vestments: As listed above, the vestments of all priests of
Ghaunadaur must be of hues pleasing to the Elder Eye. Typical raiment
includes a full-length robe with voluminous sleeves, a dark tabard
emblazoned with the symbol of the Elder Eye, and a gleaming, silver
skull cap. All priests wear their hair long and unbound, but beards and
mustaches are not permitted. The holy symbol of the faith is a sphere
of black obsidian at least 3 inches in diameter, which is sometimes
worn on a chain around the neck. Such spheres are often eveloped in a
nimbus of mauve-hued continual faerie fire.

Adventuring Garb: When adventuring, Ghaunadaur's clergy employ whatever
weapons, armor, or equipment is most appropriate to the task at hand.
Most priests are careful to always wear hues pleasing to the Elder Eye,
however, just in case it is observing their performance, even going so
far as to tint their armor and weapons.

Tentacle Rods

Any Lesser Rod: XP Value: 3,000 GP Value: 15,000
Any Greater Rod: XP Value: 5,000 GP Value: 20,000
Master Rod: XP Value: 7,500 GP Value: 25,000

The favored weapons of drow priests of Ghaunadaur are tentacle rods.
The construction of these fell items is a secret held by drow who
worship the Elder Eye, but it apparently involves animate object,
enchant an item, permanency, and some sort of monster summoning.
Tentacie rods come in an assortment of types, but all are 2-foot-long,
dark rods with a thickened handgrip at one end and three, six, or seven
8-foot-long tentacles at the other. These lifelike arms reach and
writhe of their own accord when the rod is used as a flail. The color
of the tentacles denotes the type of tentacle rod. These rods function
in the hands of priests of any evil alignment, and then only if a
specially enchanted ring of tentacle rod control is worn as well. Such
a ring can control any tentacle rod of the type to which it is linked.
If a ring of tentacle rod control is not worn, a tentacle rod exhibits
none of its special powers and functions only as a magical horseman's
flail doing ld4+1 points of damage; it has no attack or damage bonuses
but still radiates a dweomer. No saving throws are allowed against the
special effects of these weapons. All tentacle rod sale values assume
that a ring of tentacle rod control for the same type of tentacle rod
is included; otherwise, deduct 75% of the given price.

Lesser Tentacle Rod

Lesser tentacie rods are 2-foot-long dark rods with a thickened
handgrip at one end. They have three 8-foot-long tentacles, all of a
single color.

Purple: When wielded in an attack, each arm attacks the same target
individually at THACO 13, inflicting 3 points of damage on a successful
attack. If all three arms strike the target in a round, the victim
suffers double damage (18 points) and is slowed for 9 rounds (as by a
slow spell). If struck by all three arms again during the slowed
period, the victim is slowed for 9 rounds after the latest strike. In
other words, the duration the victim is slowed is not cumulatively
extended by each triple strike. This rod's ring of tentacle rod control
is made of rune-carved hematite (material value 500 gp).

Red or Russet: This tentacle rod inflicts the same damage on a
successful attack as a purple lesser tentacie rod, but its successful
triple strike inflicts total weakness in the victim's right or left
arm, whichever takes the brunt of the attack. (Determine by situation
or randomly.) The limb cannot be lifted or used to strike, grasp, or
carry things for 9 rounds. This rod's ring of tentacle rod control is
made of rune-carved rhodochrosite (material value 500 gp).

Yellow: This tentacle rod inflicts the same damage on a successful
attack as a purple lesser tentacle rod, but its successful triple
strike dazes a victim for 9 rounds. Being dazed costs the victim a -1
penalty on attack rolls and prevents the concentration necessary for
spellcasting, though magical items can be wielded and command words
spoken. This rod's ring of tentacle rod controi is made of rune-carved
lapis lazuli (material value 500 gp).

Greater Tentacie Rod

Greater tentacle rods are 2-foot-long dark rods with a thickened
handgrip at one end. They have six 8-foot-long tentacles, all of a
single color.

Amber: When wielded in an attack, each arm attacks individually at
THAC0 7, inflicting 6 points of damage on a successful attack. The six
arms can attack up to three different targets so long as sufficient
targets are within 10 feet. If three arms strike the same target in a
round, the victim is numbed and strikes at a-4 attack penalty for the
next 3 rounds. If all six arms hit a single target, the victim is
soul-burned, bursting into flame for 1 round and suffering 4d4 points
of damage, ld6 of which is a permanent loss of hit points. All worn or
carried items of a soul-bumed victim must succeed at an item saving
throw vs. magical fire or be destroyed. This rod's ring of tentacle rod
control is made of carved ruby set with a cabochon-cut piece of amber
(material value 12,200 gp).

Black: This tentacle rod inflicts the same damage on a successful
attack as an amber greater tentacle rod, but if all six arms strike a
single target, that victim is soul-chilled, suffering 6d6 points of
internal cold damage, ld8 of which is permanent. The victim is also
slowed (as if by a slow spell) for 6 rounds. This rod's ring of
tentacle rod control is made of obsidian set with a black opal
(material value 2,500 gp).

Jade: This tentacie rod inflicts the same damage on a successful attack
as an amber greater tentacle rod, but if all six arms strike a single
target, that victim is feebleminded (as the spell). Its ring of
tentacle rod control is made of jade set with a diamond (material value
5,500 gp).

Violet: When wielded in an attack, each arm attacks individually at
THAC0 7, inflicting 6 points of damage on a successful attack. The six
arms can attack up to three different targets so long as sufficient
targets are within 10 feet. If three arms strike the same target in a
round, the victim is blinded and attacks at a -4 penalty for the next 3
rounds. If all six arms hit a single target, that victim is blinded for
6 rounds and loses 1 point of Dexterity for ld4+1 years. A properly
worded limited wish or a restoration restores this loss (though this is
not the normal function of a restoration spell), but a heal,
regeneration, dispel magic, or remove curse does not. This rod's ring
of tentacle rod control is made of amber set with an amethyst (material
value 2,500 gp).

Master Tentacie Rod

These extremely rare items have seven multicolored tentacles, one of
each hue of the other types of tentacle rods. The arms attack at THACO
4, inflicting 10 points of damage each on a successful strike. They may
be directed at multiple targets within 15 feet of the caster, extending
with lightning speed to 16 feet in length and retracting an instant
after striking. If three arms strike a target in a round, the victim
is robbed of ld4 senses for the next 6 rounds. If all seven arms hit a
single target, that victim is simultaneously affected by any two
six-arm effects of a greater tentacie rod chosen by the rod wielder.
This rod's ring of tentacle rod control is made of carved malachite set
with a star sapphire (material value 6,500 gp.)

Specialty Priests (Amorphites)

REQUIREMENTS: Wisdom 9
PRIME REQ.: Wisdom
ALIGNMENT: LE, NE, CE
WEAPONS: Any
ARMOR: Any
MAJOR SPHERES: All, animal, chaos (nonlawful amorphites
only), combat, elemental, guardian, healing,
necromantic, sun (reversed only)
MINOR SPHERES: Charm, creation, divination, numbers,
protection, summoning, weather
MAGICAL ITEMS: Same as clerics
REQ. PROFS: Survival (Underdark)
BONUS PROFS: Blind-fighting

* Amorphites may be of any race capable of becoming a priest. Most
amorphites are male dark elves. Except for a minuscule minority of
other races, humans comprise the remainder.

* Amorphites are not allowed to multiclass.

* Amorphites are immune to diseases, even magically induced ones.

* At 3rd level, amorphites are immune to all poisons.

* At 3rd level, amorphites can resist the effects of acids, corrosives,
and caustic substances once per day, for 1 round per level. Mild
corrosives cannot harm the priest at all, although they can still
damage his gear. More intense acids and corrosives (black dragon
breath, Melf's acid arrow, and the natural attacks of various
puddings, oozes, slimes, and jellies) inflict only half the normal
damage. If the attack requires a saving throw, the priest gains a +3
bonus, sustaining half damage with a failed saving throw or
one-quarter damage with a successful saving throw.

* At 5th level, amorphites are immune to all acids and corrosive fluids
and substances.

* At 5th level, amorphites can cast mists of Gnaunadaur (as the
3rd-level priest spell) or Evard's black tentacles (as the 4th-level
wizard spell) once per day.

* At 7th level, amorphites can protect themselves from the attacks of
any of the various amorphous monsters, including slimes, jellies,
oozes, puddings, cubes, and slithering trackers, once per day. An
amorphous creature is any monster that has an amorphous or fluid body,
attacks through acids or secretions of some kind, and is a native of
the Prime Material Plane. The priest is guarded by a protective barrier
that amorphous creatures will not touch, and the natural attacks
(including ranged attacks) of such monsters automatically fail. If the
priest makes an attack against an amorphous creature or if he forces
the barrier surrounding him against the monster, the protection
immediately ceases.

* At 10th level, amorphites are immune to breath weapons.

* At 13th level, amorphites can cast amorphous form or elder eye (as
the 5th-level priest spells) once per day.

* At 13th level, amorphites are immune to all spells from the school or
sphere of elemental magic, as well as all related magical effects.

* At 15th level, amorphites can cast wall of tentacles (as the
7th-level priest spell) or acid storm (as the 7th-level wizard spell)
once per day.

Ghaunadauran Spells

3rd Level

Mists of Ghaunadaur (Pr 3; Conjuration/Summoning)

Sphere: Elemental Air
Range: 0
Components: V, S
Duration: 1 round/level to a 1 turn maximum
Casting Time: 5
Area of Effect: The spellcaster
Saving Throw: None

By means of this spell, the caster can cloak himself or herself in
mauve or violet mists that eddy and flow giving him or her effective
invisibility, foiling attacks for which one must see the target
(including spells such as magic missile), and thwarting infravision and
heat-related detecting abilities. The spellcaster also receives a +2
Armor Class bonus. The mists can be pierced by true seeing. The
caster's vision is unhindered by the enveloping mists of Ghaunadaur.

5th Level

Amorphous Form (Pr 5; Alteration)

Sphere: Animal
Range: 0
Components: V,S,M
Duration: 1 turn/level
Casting Time; 1 round
Area of Effect: The caster
Saving Throw: None

By means of this spell, the spellcaster can assume the form of an
deadly pudding, ooze, slime, jelly, or roper. Like a polymorph self
(the 4th-level wizard spell), this spell grants the spellcaster the
form, physical mode of locomotion, and mode of breathing of the
selected creature. No system shock roll is required. Unlike a polymorph
self spell, this spell also gives the new form's other abilities
(attack, magic, special movement, etc.), with the exception of the
ability of those creatures who can split into multiple forms
(voluntarily or involuntarily) and attack. Situations that would
normally cause the caster to split up do so, but the multiple shapes
only rejoin the next round into one form. Also, the caster cannot
assume a different form than the form selected when the spell is cast
at any time except to resume his original form, which immediately ends
the spell.

The type of form that can be assumed depends on the level of the
caster; of course a caster can choose a lesser form if desired.
Available forms include:

Caster Level Form
9-10 gray ooze, crystal ooze, gelatinous cube
11-12 mustard jelly, ochre jelly, slithering tracker
13-14 deadly pudding (black, white, dun, or brown)
15+ roper

When amorphous form is cast, the caster's equipment, if any, melds into
the new form. (In particularly challenging campaigns, the DM may allow
protective devices, such as rings of protection, to continue operating
effectively.) The caster retains all mental abilities, hut she or he
cannot cast spells or use psionic abilities derived from the psionicist
class. A caster not used to a new form might be penalized at the DM's
option (for example, a -2 penalty to attack rolls) until she or he
practices sufficiently to master it. Employing this spell does not run
the risk of the priest changing personality and/or mentality. However,
there is a 1% noncumulative chance per use of this spell that the
spellcaster is permanently transformed into a ghau-nadan (with
attendant loss of priest abilities) when this spell expires. The
material component of this spell is a vial of ichor/fluid from the kind
of amorph into which the priest wishes to transform.

Elder Eye (Pr 5; Abjuration)

Sphere: Necromantic
Range: 0
Components: v,s
Duration: 7 rounds
Casting Time: 1 round
Area of Effect: The caster
Saving Throw: Neg.

When this spell is cast, one of the caster's eyes is transformed into a
glowing golden orb of evil for 7 rounds. Each round, the caster may
balefully glare at a single living creature within 20 feet with the
eider eye. If the creature fails its saving throw vs. spell with a -3
penalty, a magical blindness results that persists until a remove curse
or cure blindness or deafness spell cast by a 9th-level caster is
applied. The caster can cast spells or engage in combat in addition to
the effect. The caster's gaze can be reflected back on himself or
herself by spells or magical effects that do so. There is a 1 %
noncumulative chance per use of the this spell that the caster's
eyeball is permanently blinded when the elder eye of Ghaunadaur
expires. In such circumstances, nothing short of a heal or regenerate
restores the caster's sight in the affected eye.

7th Level

Wall of Tentacles (Pr 7; Conjuration/Summoning)

Sphere: Elemental Earth
Range: 0
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 1 day/level
Casting Time: 1 round
Area of Effect: Wall-shaped area (freestanding, if desired), 6 inches
thick, and with a surface area on one side of up to 10
square feet/level
Saving Throw: Special

This spell enables the caster to create a special sort of quasiliving
elemental barrier. On the safe side (the inner side), it appears as a
shadowed section of wall. On the outside, it initially appears as
rough, purple-brown stone. The caster and priests of the same faith
can move freely through the wall as though it does not exist. If any
other creature (except when in physical contact with a living, mobile
priest ofGhaunadaur) touches this plain wall, four tentacles emerge to
grasp the being and begin a loud hissing and champing noise to alert
the clergy to the presence of an intruder.

The wall can extrude 20 16-foot-long tentacles and two beaks. These
shift about its surface but can make only four attacks per round on any
single opponent. Only the tentacles attack initially; the beaks are
saved for a second stage of continued attack or resistance (see below).
Each tentacle strike inflicts physical damage and forces the victim to
succeed at a saving throw vs. spell or be magically held (similar to a
hold person spell). Affected beings get a saving throw to break free
of the hold effect (only one saving throw, regardless of how many
tentacle strikes are suffered). While held, victims are attacked by
other tentacles at a +2 attack bonus and dragged -feet closer to the
wall per round. Severing a tentacle automatically break its hold. A
tentacle can be severed by causing it more than 12 points r damage in a
single round, which causes it to vanish.

The wall of tentacles has the following statistics;

Wall of Tentacles: AC-2; MV 0; HD 10; hp 200 (special to the
spell); THACO 11; #AT 22 (maximum of 4 16' tentacles and two beaks
per target); Dmg ld20 (x20 tentacles) and IdIO (x2 bites);
SA poison bite, hold ability of tentacles; SD darkness 15' radius,
immunity to nonmagical weapon attack and to all spells dispel magic
(inflicts 50 points of damage), disintegrate (inflicts 100 points of
damage), or symbol of persuasion (allows all beings of the same
alignment as the caster-and others whom they escort, while touching- to
pass through the wall unharmed); SZ H-G (140 square feet minimum);
ML fearless (20); Int non (0); AL N.

The poison of the beaks is debilitative; it takes effect in 2d4 rounds
and reduces all of a character's ability scores by half during its
duration. All appropriate adjustments to attack rolls, damage, Armor
Class, and so on, from the lowered ability scores are applied during
the course of the illness. Furthermore, the character moves at
one-half his or her normal movement rate and cannot heal by normal or
magical means until the poison is neutralized or the duration of the
debilitation elapses. The poison's effects last until neutralise poison
ends them or until 3d4 days have passed. If the wall is attacked by
any spell or spell-like effect or is reduced to 99 or fewer hit points,
it creates darkness, 15' radius outward from its outside surface and
bites any victims it can reach.

The material component of this spell is any sort of snake, living or
dead, and the beak from an octopus or any avian.

 

 

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