Dreaming Serpent Atropabel (3.5e Monster)

Author: Eiji-kun (talk) Date Created: 2-1-18 Status: Complete Editing: Clarity edits only please

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	Dreaming Serpent Atropabel
Size/Type:	Gargantuan Outsider (Dreamborn, Extraplanar, Psionic)
Hit Dice:	16d8+36 (108 hp)
Initiative:	+6
Speed:	fly 50 ft (perfect)
Armor Class:	19 (+7 deflection, +6 dex, -4 size), touch 19, flat-footed 13
Base Attack/Grapple:	+16/+33
Attack:	Gore +17 melee (3d6+7 plus mindshock, 20/x2)
Full Attack:	Gore +17 melee (3d6+7 plus mindshock, 20/x2)
Space/Reach:	20 ft/15 ft
Special Attacks:	Malevolence, Maze of the Mind, Mindshock, Psionics, SLAs
Special Qualities:	Darkvision 60 ft, Deep Lore, Dreamborn Traits, Dream Speaking, Immunities, Low-Light Vision, Manifestation, Mindsight 100 ft, Phasing, PR 21, Psycho Barrier, Telepathy 100 ft
Saves:	Fort +14, Ref +16, Will +15
Abilities:	Str 20, Dex 22, Con 18, Int 15, Wis 21, Cha 25
Skills:	Bluff +19, Concentration +16, Deep Lore +14*, Diplomacy +19, Intimidate +19, Listen +17, Psicraft +14, Spot +17, Sense Motive +17, Use Psionic Device +19
Feats:	Eternal Mindspring of the Psionic MindB, Flyby Attack, Adept Mindreader, Psionic Meditation, Envigorating Power
Environment:	The Plane of Dreams, Ethereal Plane
Organization:	Unique
Challenge Rating:	9
Treasure:	None
Alignment:	Always Chaotic Evil
Advancement:	17-32 HD (Gargantuan), 33-48 HD (Colossal)
Level Adjustment:	—

Swimming through the multicolored chaotic aether of the plane of dreams, this shimmering eyeless serpent awaits for those who have consumed its blessed plant and made contact with it from beyond the veil.

The plane of dreams is an impermanent place, always changing and shifting from one sapient mind to the next. Dreams come and go, and it is a rare habit where one hangs around for a long time. Even rarer is the dream which is self aware, and develops a mind of its own. It is believed that Atropabel is indeed one of, if not the only, dream born to life. And if its temperament and behavior is any indication it may be more nightmare than dream.

The appearance of the beast is hard to define as it is itself ever-shifting in the minds of others and the only ones who have seen it clearly at those hopped up on certain powerful drugs. It is known to be a massive flying serpent-like being whose surface is both dark yet iridescent, seeming to reflect a reality not of our own. It has six glowing spots which are presumed to be eyes upon its head, a slender transparent horn crackling with psionic energy, and in its mouth it sometimes projects a hazy tongue of light that is known to take on shapes such as the shape of a humanoid female, glowing and indistinct. It is native to the Plane of Dreams, but by means unknown sometimes appears on the Ethereal Plane in which it can interact with those who are high upon special breeds of datura weed.

It seems that only one exists even though its presence is nigh ubiquitous, for all incarnations seem to be aware of the events of others. Even when slain, it eventually returns to cause more problems in the world. It is for this reason that some worry that it is nothing more than a tentacle of something far bigger and more terrifying lurking in the plane of dreams.

Its motives are obscured, but whenever it appears it has a pattern of behavior. It convinces its drug users to continue with their trips for good or ill to obtain more visions. Beyond their own questions and knowledge it slowly leeks to them forbidden knowledge that is enough to interest them to ask further. As the victim seeks knowledge at their own accord they are also encouraged to spread the growth of the special breed of drug to others, and soon entire communities grow around contacting Atropabel. And then... well, it is not certain, but all cases where enough users appears, so to then did strange monuments and magic items, alien devices, sudden bounds of genius and madness, and some say even the physical manifestation of Atropabel itself. Clearly this has never succeeded yet, but the surprisingly kindly serpent does not seem to have honest or kind intent for her mortal kin.

The dreaming serpent speaks Aklo, but can communicate with any intelligent creature via telepathy. It is 60 ft long and of uncertain weight, if any. In spite of its length its diameter is only 5 ft.

Combat

If engaged in combat Atropabel is a powerful psychic, and even when powers will not cut it, its horn becomes a goring device. Because of its ability to phase it can pop in and out of cover and easily run away, making it an extremely difficult fight. Fortunately for most, it barely interacts with the world and is rarely a threat to most. Its most likely means of attack is via possession, and defeating its host ejects Atropabel.

Deep Lore (Ex): Atropabel has access to the minds of many, and combines all Knowledge skills into a single skill, Deep Lore.

Dreamborn Traits (Ex): Introduced in the book Hyperconciousness, Dreamborn creatures are spawned from, and made of "dreamstuff". They appear slightly hazy and out of focus, and so all melee and ranged attacks against them suffer a 20% miss chance, as they are not entirely real. This miss chance is not the same as concealment and does not prevent the use of sneak attacks or other precision strikes. The subtype also determines if it is vulnerable to certain spells and effects which deal with dream-based creatures.

Dream Speaking (Su): By touching a sleeping or unconscious creature, or a creature currently under the effect of datura weed, it can communicate with that creature as if using dream (even if they are awake in the latter scenario). It often poses as a friend, a deity, or some other trusted source to partake a message upon its host.

Immunities: Atropabel is immune to ability damage and drain to physical ability scores, death effects, mind-affecting effects, petrification, and polymorphing.

Malevolence (Su): Atropabel has the malevolence ability of a ghost.

Manifestation (Su): Atropabel has the manifestation ability of a ghost. Unlike a ghost, it is not incorporeal (it still has the dreamborn miss chance) and it is tiring for Atropabel to perform. It may only remain manifested for 1 minute per HD per day, minimum 1 minute increments. She can manifest on the Material if it is on the Ethereal, and may manifest on the Ethereal if it is on the Plane of Dreams. It is not known how she travels to the Ethereal in the first place, but it appears to be somehow related to the use of special breeds of datura weed.

Maze of the Mind (Su): Its said that those who overdose on datura weed may end up in the maze of the mind. Their body remains in a stupor and never recovers, while their mind wanders something akin to a maze. Atropabel can force a creature it defeats into the maze of the mind instead of killing it, where it wanders while its body goes into a coma. If the creature is not able to escape after 10 minutes they remain in said coma until break enchantment or higher is placed upon them. Some claim that though they may come back, that those who suffer this fate have an evil clone of themselves manifest in the world acting in their steed, a twisted reflection born out of the maze of the mind.

Its said that it sometimes convinces those it befriends to come willingly, regardless if they realize it will result in an evil doppleganger. Such willing victims are often released after 24 hours of coma-like state.

Mindsight (Su): Atropabel can see the presence of all beings with Int 3 or higher within 100 ft, as if using blindsight. Creatures immune to mind-affecting effects are not detected.

Mindshock (Su): Atropabel harms the minds of those she strikes with her horn, inflicting 1 point of madness each hit, and 1d4+1 madness on a critical hit. The madness can be wiped clear by consuming a dose of datura weed, but that of course opens you up to other problems.

Phasing (Su): Atropabel can pass through any substance as if it were barely there. She can fly through liquids at half speed, and solids as a quarter speed. She cannot pass through ghost touch items or items on more than one plane, cannot pass through force effects, and cannot pass through living creatures.

If Atropabel is killed, it phases out back to the Plane of Dreams where it is banished for a year and a day before it can be called back to the world through the use of special breeds of datura weed.

Psionics: Atropabel manifests powers as a 8th-level psion. She has access to the Seer and Telepathy disciplines, and may switch out its powers known whenever it rests. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

Typical Powers Known (1/2/3/4; save DC 17 + power level, 86 power points): 1st—attraction, deja vu, inertial armor, mind thrust, primeval fear; 2nd—brainstorm, destroy sanity*, id insinuation, read thoughts; 3rd—charged bubbler, crisis of breath, fate link, psionic blast; 4th—complete telekinesis, death urge, prophetic dream, psionic modify memory.

*(Does not require the Dark Knowledge feat, as it is already a being of eldritch nature.)

Psycho Barrier (Su): Atropabel adds her Charisma bonus as a deflection bonus to AC.

Spell-Like Abilities (Sp): At will- vision but only at the request of others and not of her will.

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