Monster Geographica - Marsh & Aquatic.pdf - The Secrets of the ...

15
Blackwater Slough
Huge Ooze
Hit Dice: 12d10+36 (102 hp)
Initiative: -1
Speed: 5 ft. (1 square), swim 10 ft. (2
squares)
Armor Class: 11 (-2 size, -5 Dex, +8
natural), touch 3, flat-footed 11
Base Attack/Grapple: +9/+12
Attack: —
Full Attack: —
Space/Reach: 15 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: Frigid aura, spell-like
abilities
Special Qualities: Damage reduction
15/bludgeoning and magic, darkvision 60
ft., low-light vision, immunity to cold, ooze
traits, shadow servant, spell resistance 27,
telepathy 200 ft.
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +1, Will +6
Blackwater sloughs are frozen sheets of
black fluid with strange white and yellow eyes
occasionally bobbing into view. Fabled as the
tainted runoff from a lake that contains an evil
ancient race, blackwater slough do not die of
natural causes and are extremely patient to see
their plans come to fruition. They plot and connive,
arranging the downfall of both good and evil
through manipulation, illusions, and bargains with
glory-seekers. Sloughs pit good and evil beings
against one another, hoping all are destroyed.
Blackwater sloughs move slowly, rippling
and flowing toward their destinations. Most make
their homes in marshes or damp caverns, seeping
through cracks in the earth and remaining in
one place as long as possible. Those who must
travel prefer to do so in water, where they can
let themselves be carried by currents. They smell
strongly of mildew, but frequently disguise their
scent through magic.
Combat
Direct combat is a last resort for blackwater
sloughs; they prefer arranging the deaths of their
enemies from afar. When pressed into battle,
however, they are formidable. Often forewarned of
their opponents’ approach, sloughs fill their homes
with illusory walls and screens to confuse their foes.
Once this is done, creatures summoned with shadow
190
Abilities: Str 1, Dex 1, Con 17, Int 24, Wis
10, Cha 22
Skills: Bluff +19, Concentration +14,
Diplomacy +21, Disguise +6 (+8 acting),
Intimidate +21, Knowledge (any three) +18,
Listen +11, Search +18, Sense Motive +11,
Spellcraft +18, Spot +11, Survival +0 (+2
following tracks), Swim +6
Feats: Combat Casting, Improved
Initiative B , Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes,
Persuasive
Environment: Cold marshes and
underground
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 15
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral evil
Advancement: 13-24 HD (Huge); 25-36
HD (Gargantuan); 37-48 HD (Colossal)
Level Adjustment: —
conjuration provide distracting (and occasionally
dangerous) fodder, and are easily replaced when
killed. Attacks with greater shadow evocation,
horrid wilting, and shades come next, with maze
reserved for use against particularly dangerous
individuals (such as creatures with true seeing).
A blackwater slough’s natural weapons, as
well as any weapons it wields, are treated as magic
weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage
reduction.
Frigid Aura (Su): Once per round, as a
free action, a blackwater slough can create an
aura of intense cold in a 30-foot radius burst. Any
creature within this area must succeed on a DC 19
Fortitude save or take 1d6 points of cold damage.
Those damaged by the cold must also succeed on a
DC 19 Will save or be affected as by a slow spell
(caster level 14th) for 1d4 rounds. The save DCs
are Constitution-based.
Spell-Like Abilities: At will—arcane sight,
control water (DC 22), dancing lights, detect
scrying, dream, false vision, ghost sound (DC
16), hypnotic pattern (DC 18), illusory script (DC
19), illusory wall (DC 20), misdirection (DC 18),
persistent image (DC 21), prying eyes, shadow
conjuration (DC 20), hideous laughter (DC 18),
ventriloquism (DC 17); 3/day—black tentacles,
greater shadow evocation (DC 24), mirage arcana