2002-07-31 - 3:53 p.m.
Vasloi
Large Aberration (Aquatic)
Hit Dice: 9d8+18 (58 hp)
Initiative: +6 (+2 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative)
Speed: 10 ft., fly 30 ft. (good), swim 60 ft.
AC: 18 (-1 size, +2 Dex, +7 natural)
Attacks: Tail lash +8 melee
Damage: Tail lash 1d4+3
Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Constrict 1d6+3, improved grab, psionics
Special Qualities: Psionics, telepathy
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +12
Abilities: Str 16, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 20, Wis 19, Cha 15
Skills: Animal Empathy +6, Concentration +8, Craft (any one,
using fabricate) +8, Diplomacy +4, Intimidate +4, Intuit
Direction +7, Knowledge (alien races) +9, Knowledge
(planes) +8, Knowledge (psionics) +10, Listen +12,
Psicraft +10, Science (marine biology) +8, Science
(oceanography) +8, Search +7, Sense Motive +8, Spot +6,
Stabilize Self +4, Swim +14
Feats: Combat Reflexes, Craft Dorje, Improved Initiative,
Iron Will
Climate/Terrain: Any aquatic
Organization: Solitary, pod (2-5), colony (8-22, plus 1 leader
of 4th - 9th level, plus 1 Onjina)
Challenge Rating: 8
Treasure: No coins; 10% goods; 30% items (but add 10 to
the item roll, if items are indicated)
Alignment: Usually Lawful Neutral
Advancement: By character class
Picture Link: Click Here
A Vasloi is a strange creature, not quite like anything on Earth. It has a vaguely serpentine body, with a long neck and tail and a narrow head. The center of its body is substantially thicker and more muscular, where it branches off into three sets of paired sail-like appendages, arranged symmetrically. As a result, it has radial, rather than bilateral, symmetry, with no discernible left, right, top or bottom - just a front and rear, defined by its head and tail. In fact, the head is used simply to maneuver its sensory organs (three long, silvery "eyes" and a number of "pits" used for hearing), since the creature's brain is located in the sturdier central section of its body. A typical adult is about 12 feet long and weighs between 520 and 560 pounds. There is no discernible size difference between males and females and, in fact, one creature can cycle through both sexes during its immensely long lifespan (typically fifteen to eighteen centuries, although occasionally much longer). Coloration is usually metallic blue or violet along the body, blending into a mottled blue-gray and green along the somewhat translucent sails.
Vasloi are aquatic and breathe using gills, like a fish. They can draw oxygen from the air, as well, but it is not a comfortable process for them. They do little more than drag themselves around on land, but usually avoid this problem altogether by using their psionic abilities to glide along at a moderate pace, effectively "swimming" through the air.
Although Vasloi understand the concept of tools and use them when necessary, they prefer to rely on their own abilities, as much as possible. When they do craft objects, they often do so using a specialized form of molecular telekinesis that allows them to "grow" what they need out of minerals (including organically produced mineral formations, such as coral or bone, but not purely organic material, such as wood). Their starships are created in this manner and, thus, tend to have a crystalline appearance.
Vasloi speak their own language, which is similar to that used by dolphins and whales. Humans cannot even hear half of it, let alone learn to speak it. When dealing with other species, they generally rely on their telepathy, instead.
Combat
Vasloi find combat distasteful and do not possess any sharp natural weapons, in any event. If cornered, one is capable of lashing out with its tail, using it as a nasty whip or grappling with it. In general, however, Vasloi prefer to rely on their formidable psionic powers.
Constrict (Ex): A Vasloi deals 1d6+3 points of damage with a successful grapple check against Medium-size or smaller foes. This uses the entire lower portion of its body, so it inconvenienced accordingly.
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, the Vasloi must hit an opponent of up to Medium-size with its tail lash attack. If it gets hold, it can constrict.
Psionics (Sp): At will - biocurrent, detect psionics, detect thoughts, fabricate (inorganic only), fly, hammer, lesser mindlink, matter agitation, mind probe, sending, sense link, suggestion, suspend life, telekinesis. These abilities are as the powers manifested by a 12th-level Psion. A Vasloi's fly power is as described in the Psionics Handbook (page 76) but has a reduced speed, as noted above.
Attack/Defense Modes (Sp): At will - ego whip, psychic crush / all.
Telepathy (Sp): Vasloi can communicate telepathically with any creature within 100 feet that has a language. Due to the alien nature of their intellects, however, their messages occasionally appear cryptic or even nonsensical to Humans.
Skills: Vasloi receive a +2 racial bonus to Animal Empathy, Concentration, and Sense Motive checks, a +4 racial bonus to Listen checks, and a +8 racial bonus to Swim checks.
Vasloi Society
Vasloi are extremely cooperative among their own kind and build strong, stable groups, led by the oldest and wisest members. While all Vasloi are encouraged - and, indeed, expected - to express their opinions, when a decision must be made, the final say ultimately goes to the one with the most experience, who has proven himself to be reliable and resourceful in the past.
This general tendency affects their relationships with other races, as well. They are able and willing to interact with other species and try to work toward mutually beneficial ends. Since they are usually the oldest and most technologically advanced partner, in any such relationship, however, their racial tendency to expect respect and obedience from their less experienced allies can make them seem aloof and arrogant. In particular, they have a tendency to make decisions for others and act on their behalf, without their partners' knowledge or consent, reasoning that they are wise enough o know what is best for everyone involved. This can cause them to do things that seem terribly cold and callous, from a Human point of view, since they place the needs of society over the good of the individual. In the past, they have interfered with Earth's ecology and the evolution of its inhabitants, on an epic scale, believing that this is a small price to pay to put an end to the Sheloth - who, they reason, threaten everyone.
The Vasloi have a long-standing, sometimes puzzling alliance with the Onjina. In many ways, the two races complement each other and are strengthened by the relationship; however, they each view the universe in a very different way and have contrasting temperaments. The Vasloi, despite their psionic powers, are basically practical and efficient creatures that live very much in the world. On the other hand, the Onjina are more spiritual than intellectual and consider the physical universe to be only one part of the big picture - not even, necessarily, the most important part. The Vasloi lead fairly orderly lives and value group success over individual achievement, whereas the Onjina are less predictable and more solitary, placing a greater emphasis on free will and personal enlightenment. The Vasloi consider the Onjina to be somewhat flighty and, occasionally, irresponsible, and the Onjina consider the Vasloi to be somewhat narrow-minded and obsessive. Still, the two races have maintained an alliance on Earth for millions of years and are showing no sign of giving it up.
Vasloi Characters
Vasloi advance by character class, just like Humans, but their ECL of +12 means that they progress quite slowly and are impractical as Player Characters. Their favored class varies somewhat, by region, but is usually Expert or Psion.
Vasloi Agenda
Millions of years ago, the Vasloi were at war with the Sheloth, and those who currently reside on Earth (in one form or another) have never given up that battle. They are used to making very long-term plans, although the campaign here on Earth has been prolonged, even for them. They are willing to go to great lengths to destroy their ancient enemy and have been responsible for several disasters on Earth, all in the name of ending the Sheloth threat, once and for all. When they decimated Earth, 65 million years ago, to get at the Surd, they nearly destroyed themselves, in the process. They suspected that the Sheloth still had at least one unchecked long-range contingency plan, so they created their own insurance against it. With the help of their Onjina allies, most of them gave up their lives to adopt a sort of astral state. At the same time, they "programmed" a special genetic sequence in the mammals that, after being nurtured by the Onjina for millions of years, would ultimately create creatures capable of acting as hosts for the Vasloi sahtrri (souls), allowing them to rise again, when the time was right. Humans still retain this sequence and, within them, it has blossomed. Many humans can now accept Vasloi spiritual symbiots, and a few can actually act as avatars, gaining the full psionic strength of their patrons.
Note that not all Vasloi were involved in this scheme. Many simply perished, and a few entered a state of suspension, to wait for a more hospitable future. Over the millennia, many of the latter have awakened and passed away, in their own time, so, in the modern age, there are only a very few living Vasloi left.
For all of their planning, the Vasloi may not have been clever enough. The Sheloth also tinkered with the genetics of several species, and they now have their own Human pawns - superhuman beings who unknowingly carry the seed of future Sheloth generations. The Vasloi are only now starting to realize the terrible scope of their enemies' plan and are not really ready to counter it - indeed, they may never be, given that so few of them survived to influence the modern world. This may have cataclysmic consequences, since the Vasloi would sooner see humanity wiped from the Earth than risk the creation of a new generation of Sheloth. They are so determined to end this, once and for all, that they are even willing to sacrifice themselves to achieve that end.
Vasloi Symbiosis and Possession: As previously noted, there are very few living Vasloi left on Earth. Most have adopted a semi-conscious astral state and are little more than dreaming ghosts, now. Under the right conditions, one of these beings can merge with a properly prepared human or (less commonly) other mammal. This union has one of two effects, depending on the host and the ritual used.
Symbiosis: About 90% of all creatures that can accept a Vasloi sahtrri can only do so in this manner, and the ritual involved in this process is, by far, the most widely known. With this form of union, the Vasloi spirit is really just along for the ride. The Human (or animal) intellect is still alert and in complete control of the body. The Vasloi simply experiences the world through its host's senses and can communicate mentally, to give advice and pass on lore. The only real danger involved in this union is that an unprepared or unstable host may not be able to handle having two minds in one head and may become deranged. With the help of an Onjina, this process can be reversed fairly safely, although not always easily.
Possession: Only a very few Humans are capable of handling this level of merging and no other animals have ever demonstrated the ability to do so. Furthermore, the ritual used to create the union is difficult and often requires the presence of an Onjina assistant. This form of union is, in many ways, the flip-side of symbiosis. The Vasloi spirit gains complete control of the body, and the host spirit is submerged, able to experience the world through the body's senses and communicate with the Vasloi but do little more. Obviously, only a very devoted and selfless individual is usually willing to make this sacrifice. Once the union is complete, the new entity has the Intelligence and Wisdom scores of the Vasloi (i.e. usually 20 and 19, respectively) and gains a +2 Charisma bonus, as well. All of the Vasloi's psionic powers, attacks, and defenses are accessible. In effect, the combined entity is physically Human but mentally Vasloi and has the side-benefit of being abnormally long-lived, as well. As long as the Human host is willing and has been properly prepared, this union is relatively safe. There is a price, however, even for the Vasloi: after six to seven years of combined existence, the two personalities begin to blend together, genuinely merging into one. By the end of a decade, there will really be only one spirit left in the body, and it will share many traits of both of its predecessors. In effect, the symbiosis will be complete, and the two souls will have reached a level of perfect harmony. Obviously, this concept is frightening to many Humans, and even the Vasloi are a bit nervous about it, given that it means giving up an intellect of crystal clarity and adopting some of the chaotic mannerisms of a more primitive species. As with symbiosis, this process can be reversed, with the help of an Onjina; however, such attempts are harder and more dangerous, after the blending of personalities begins. Once the blending in complete, no known process can reverse it.
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