Epic Level Handbook

CHAPTER 5:MONSTERS190GENIUS LOCIColossal OozeHit Dice: 70d10+1,400 + 40 (1,825 hp)Initiative: –2 (Dex)Speed: 5 ft., burrow 5 ft.AC: 0 (–2 Dex, –8 size)Attacks: 10 slams +64 meleeDamage: Slam 4d10+20Face/Reach: Varies (see text)Special Attacks: Enslave, improved grab, constrict4d10+30Special Qualities: Blindsight 200 ft., fast healing 50,ooze traitsSaves: Fort +43, Ref +21, Will +30Abilities: Str 50, Dex 6, Con 50, Int —, Wis 24, Cha 26Climate/Terrain: AnyOrganization: SolitaryChallenge Rating: 30Treasure: StandardAlignment: Usually any evilAdvancement: NoneSometimes a section of landscape itself animates as asingle entity. A genius loci, or “local spirit,” issuch a place, malign in nature.A genius loci is difficult to spot,since it looks like any other sectionof landscape. One canappear as a mountain,an isolated valley, asmall lake, a deepcavern, a singlefield, a tinymoon, or anentire (smallish)plane.Despite thefact that it isa creature, itsform almostexactly duplicatesall thetextures andqualities of anatural landscape,so much so thatanimals and plantslive and grow normallyon a genius locias if it were part of thenatural environment.A genius loci itself has nointelligence, but rather “emulates”the sentience of any creature it currentlyenslaves (see below), if any. A creatureenslaved to the genius loci inhabits the landscape inwhatever manner available to it—some slaves live instructures (actually part of the genius loci), while othersmay nest in trees, or in burrows. Each genius loci hasonly a single enslaved creature at one time, though othercreatures may also inhabit the surface of the genius loci.Any creature entering a genius loci who makes successfulWilderness Lore check (DC 31) realizes thatsomething is amiss, though it is difficult to tell exactlywhat—at least until the landscape itself animates andbegins to batter, grab, and crush the life out of those whointrude. The genius loci feeds by occasionally absorbingsome recently slain creature into itself.Genius loci are spontaneously generated from areasthat have remained undisturbed for long eras. In time,the personality of the place becomes not just a metaphorbut also a fact. Most are malignant, persecuting trespasserswith glee, but a few are benign, offering a safehaven to various sylvan folk.Genius loci do not speak directly, though they may doso through their currently enslaved thrall.COMBATA genius loci can directly attack any creature standingon its surface with animated parts of itself, deliveringterrific slam attacks, it also directs its enslaved thrallagainst those it attacks. If its slave is slain, itselects another of its foes as its nextnewest slave. Once a genius locianimates a portion of itself toattack, such as a tree, acolumn of earth, or a swellof ground, the boundariesof its massiveform become clear,and the creaturebecomes open toattack (WildernessLore checksto determine theextent of the geniusloci are nolonger nesessary).The animatedpart of thegenius loci has areach of 15 feet.Enslave (Su): Agenius loci can usethe epic spell enslaveonce per round as a freeaction until it successfullyenslaves a foe (WillDC 53 to resist). Once it has aslave, it cannot enslave anotheruntil its current slave dies, is imprisoned,or is otherwise taken out of the picture.A slave becomes free if its genius locimaster is slain. A genius loci forces its slave to remainwith it, though it may send its slave off to temporarily