Alu-Kashiik (CR 16)

A humanoid creature steps from the shadows which resembles the horrific dream render. The displacing aura surrounding it dissipates to reveal a tall humanoid with pale blue skin with dark blue mottling, three deep blue eyes, the customary protruding ears, and mass of tentacles hanging from its mouth and chin, including a second pair of large ones. As it laughs in a maniacal deep voice, a palpable aura of fear and despair surrounds you. 

XP 76,800

LE Medium aberration (extraplanar)

Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft., true seeing; Perception +35

Aura displacement

DEFENSE

AC 27, touch 12, flat-footed 22 (+2 Dex, +1 dodge, +12 natural)

hp 210 (20d8+120)

Fort +13, Ref +8, Will +19; +4 resistance vs. poison

Immune cold, enchantments, illusions, paralysis; SR 27

OFFENSE

Speed 35 ft.

Melee 4 tentacles +19 (1d4+4) or tendril whip +19 (1d4+2 plus entangle)

Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.

Special Attacks entangle, gaze, mind touch, paralytic strike

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 20th, concentration +27)

At will–daze (DC 18), hypnotism (DC 19), scare (DC 20)

   3/day–crushing despair (DC 22), mirror image,

   1/day–mind fog (DC 23), nightmare (DC 23), phantasmal killer (DC 22), plane shift

Spells Prepared (CL 13th, concentration +20)

   6th (4/day) cloak of dreams (DC 22), elemental assessor (DC 22)

   5th (5/day) dominate person (DC 21), pain strike (mass) (DC 21), spellsteal (DC 21)

   4th (5/day) charm monster (DC 20), detonate (DC 20), forgetful slumber (DC 20), invisibility (greater)

   3rd (6/day) fearsome duplicate, lightning bolt (DC 19), scorching ray (DC 19), suggestion (DC 19)

   2nd (6/day) arcane disruption (DC 19), burning arc (DC 19), detect thoughts (DC 19), levitate, mad hallucinations (DC 19)

   1st (6/day) interrogation (DC 18), magic missile, memory lapse (DC 18), ray of enfeeblement (DC 18), true strike

   0th (at will) acid splash (DC 17), bleed (DC 17), detect magic, ghost sound, haunted fey aspect (DC 17), mage hand, message, spark (DC

      17), touch of fatigue (DC 17) 

STATISTICS

Str 18, Dex 14, Con 20, Int 25, Wis 25, Cha 27

Base Atk +15; CMB +19; CMD +31

Feats Combat Casting, Combat Reflexes, Defensive Combat Training, Dodge, Eschew Materials, Fleet, Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, 

   Step Up, Toughness 

Skills Bluff +28, Disguise +28, Intimidate +31, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +27, Knowledge (planes) +27, Knowledge (arcana) +30,

   Perception +35, Sense Motive +27, Spellcraft +30, Stealth +27, Survival +30; Racial Modifiers +8 Perception 

Languages Aboleth, Aklo, Common, Dwarven, Draconic, Infernal, Orc, Undercommon

SQ shape change (alter self)

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Change Shape (Sp) 

An alu-kashiik can change its physical form so as to appear as any other humanoid of similar size and shape as a free action. This ability functions as the alter self spell. 

Displacement Aura (Su) 

An alu-kashiik is surrounded by an aura that constantly displaces its true location. This ability functions as a displacement effect and grants the alu-kashiik concealment with a 50% miss chance. The alu-kashiik can deactivate or reactivate it as a free action, and unless otherwise stated is considered to be active. 

Entangle (Ex) 

Creatures hit by an alu-kashiik’s tendril whip must make a Reflex save (DC 24) or become entangled.

Gaze (Su) 

All creatures within 30 feet of the alu-kashiik that look directly at it must then make a Will save (DC 24) or be affected by one of its two gaze attacks. The first is like the dream render’s gaze attack and affects the target as a charm person spell. The alu-kashiik’s second gaze attack comes from its third eye and affects the target as a dominate person spell. 

Mind Touch (Su) 

An alu-kashiik can enter the mind of any creature that has a language and mentally communicate with it by making direct contact with its index finger. This ability requires a standard action and is similar to the telepathy ability, but only a single creature can be addressed at one time, unless one or more other creatures are in physical contact with the first. In which case, the dream render can address multiple creatures at once telepathically, although maintaining a telepathic conversation with more than one creature at a time is just as difficult as simultaneously speaking and listening to multiple people at the same time. While an alu-kashiik maintains this tactile telepathic contact, it can execute the following mental maneuvers, one at a time as a move equivalent action. 

• Dream Walk: An alu-kashiik can enter the mind of a creature which it is in telepathic contact with and deliver messages in the form of dreams. The creature is considered to be under the effects of a dream spell and can only resist its effects by breaking contact with the dream render. In addition, while the dream render is delivering the message, it can include a simple suggestion that functions as the suggestion spell. 

• Embed Memory: An alu-kashiik can embed memories into the mind of a single creature with which it is in telepathic contact. While in telepathic contact, the alu-kashiik can implant false memories or alter existing ones. This ability otherwise functions as the modify memory spell. 

• Mind Rend: An alu-kashiik can rend the mind of a single creature with which it is in telepathic contact, in search of specific knowledge which it can use for its own purposes, which must be selected at the time of the attempted rending. However, doing so can cause psychic damage to either the creature’s reasoning, willpower, or personality centers depending upon what knowledge the alu-kashiik is seeking. To rend the creature’s mind, the alu-kashiik must make a successful opposing ability check (1d20 + ability modifier) against the creature. Failure results in the creature remaining unharmed. The alu-kashiik can plumb the psyche of the creature to temporarily learn and use a specific skill (Intelligence), steal a single memory or secret from the creature (Wisdom), or temporarily alter the creature’s personality (Charisma), such as causing it to become more assertive, more fearful, braver, etc. The effects of the rending last for a number of rounds equal to the 10 rounds, minus the creature’s ability modifier to a minimum of 1 round. 

• Mind Terrors: An alu-kashiik can implant terrifying images and dreams into the mind of a single creature which it is in telepathic contact with, and is otherwise considered to be under the effects of a nightmare spell. 

Paralytic Strike (Ex) 

An alu-kashiik that has entangled a victim can make a single tentacle sting attack. If successful the attack deals no damage, but instead injects the target with paralytic poison. Anyone struck thus must succeed on a DC 24 Fortitude save for the next two consecutive rounds on the dream render’s turn or be paralyzed for a number of round equal to 1d4+2 rounds for every 3 Hit Dice. 

Spells 

An alu-kashiik casts spells as a 13th-level arcanist.

ECOLOGY

Environment Underground (planar)

Organization solitary

Treasure triple

It is an indisputable fact that dream renders are greatly feared and abhorred by other races. However, even more terrifying than they are the dream shrikes, for so fearsome and powerful are they that dream renders readily avoid them. An alu-kashiik is a dream render that has evolved both mentally and physically to such a degree that they possess near god-like intellect and power. To become an alu-kashiik, a dream render cocoons itself in a chrysalis, and after a quarter century, it emerges in its enhanced state. Alu-kashiiks can enter the minds of others with a mere thought, taking control of their bodies or altering the memories of their victims. They appear much as dream renders but have light blue skin with dark blue mottling, an extra pair of large tentacles, as well as a third eye which they call the omniscient occulon or the all-knowing eye.