General Rules: Monsters - Athasi

Athasi (from Blackdirge's Dungeon Denizens)
Medium Aberration

Hit Dice: 4d8+4 (22 hit points)
Initiative: +6
Speed: 30 feet
Armor Class: 16 (+2 Dexterity, +1 dodge, +3 natural); touch 13, flat-footed 13
BAB/Grapple: +3/+3
Attack: Tentacle +5 melee (1d6 plus 1d3 Intelligence damage, bludgeoning, 20 x2)

Full Attack: Tentacle +5 melee (1d6 plus 1d3 Intelligence damage, bludgeoning, 20 x2)

Space/Reach: 5 feet by 5 feet/5 feet
Special Attacks: Intelligence drain, spell-like abilities
Special Qualities: Darkvision 120 feet, cloak of concealment, spell resistance 18
Saves: Fortitude +2, Reflex +1, Will +3
Abilities: Str 10, Int 18, Wis 15, Dex 15, Con 12, Cha 16

Skills: Balance +4, Bluff +10, Diplomacy +14, Disguise +3 (+5 when acting), Intimidate +8, Jump +2, Listen +9, Sense Motive +9, Spot +9, Tumble +9

Feats: Dodge, Improved Initiative, Weapon Finesse
Environment: Underground
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 5
Treasure: Double standard
Alignment: Always chaotic evil
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +4

This tall, gray-skinned humanoid has a single tentacle growing from the base of its skull.

In the ancient days, the athasi were the first intelligent species to walk the underdark's shadowy caverns. Perhaps they existed before the gods created humanity and other species, or perhaps they were the first race to be given sentience. In any case, the athasi grew ambitious. Jealous of the power of the gods, they schemed to elevate themselve to divine levels. They crafted many of the strange underdark races as servitors, most notably the eye tyrants and mind flayers. Other strange races may also bear their mark. In time, the athasi grew too arrogant. They planned to destroy all life the gods created and then, once their conquest of the world was complete, they would turn their power against the gods. For a time, their plan met with success, but eventually they were defeated. Even the mighty athasi could not match the gods. In the final days of the struggle, the athasi fled to the deepest reaches of the underdark. Few suvived the destruction of their underworld cities.

Thousands of years later, the athasi continue on in small numbers. it is surmised that no more than three hundred of these creatures exist. The gods have long since forgotten the athasi, as they are too weak to ever again threaten the world. The athasi have not forgotten or firgiven their losses. To this day, they plot to destroy the gods' creature and what they consider to be the servitor races that betrayed them. If the athasi cannot avenge themselves against the gods, they will take the next best target.

Athasi travel the underdark, seeking to ignite wars between settlements. They hate good and evil creatures with equal vigor, and gleefully murder drow, svirfneblin, and other creatures they encounter. In isolated workshops and deep caverns, they produce deadly constructs known as bronze reapers, and continue their arcane studies.

Usually an athasi plants false evidence of any imepnding attack, makes attacks to increase tensionin an area, or uses its spell-like abilities and control a noble or other leader. The athasi dream of an underdark purged of all other humanoid and intelligent races, hoping that when that day arrived, they can once again rebuild their cities.

All athasi have unique appearances. Some resemble gray-skinned, hairless humans. Others look like ming flayers that lack facial tentacles. As the first intelligent race, they were given a wide range of forms. The one constant is that all athasi have humanoid faces, mouths capable of forming speech, hands to manipulate items, and a single, long tentacle that they use to batter opponents and drain their minds. The athasi's preferred character class is sorcerer, although many gain levels as rogues or wizards. Athasi cannot become clerics or druids, as the gods refuse to hear their prayers.

Combat
Athasi usually try to avoid combat, except to use their tentacle to rob a creature of its memories and learn of its surroundings. Ususally they strike from ambush, using their spell-like abilities and greater invisibility to approach a target from hiding and leap upon it before it can prepare a defense. Athasi prefer to attack sleeping or otherwise helpless foes. They slip into settlements or sneak into camps and pick out what looks like and important or powerful figure.

Athasi also use these tactics when they must defend themselves. They use hit and run attacks, preferably by sneaking into an area, to turn their enemies into mindless vegetables. Over time, the attackers either give up and leave or are finally whittled down to such small numbers that they can be overwhelmed in battle.

Intelligence Drain (Ex): A creature struck by an athasi's tentacle attack must succeed at a DC 15 Will save or suffer 1d3 points of Intelligence damage. Furthermore, the athasi immediately gains knowledge of the last last settlement the creature visited or the location of its lair, and how to travel there. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Spell-Like Abilities (Sp): At will - burning hands, charm monster, fly, suggestion. Caster level 10^th; save DC 13 + spell level. The save DCs are Chairsma-based.

Cloak of Concealment (Su): All athasi have the ability to bend and fold space around them, granting them the equivalent of a greater invisibility spell as if cast by a 20^th level caster. An athasi can activate or dismiss this ability as a free action.

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