by Bruce R. CordellYiventure!Mapim Nautiloid Map Not To Seale ‘Crossection’ ‘Command Station "Con's Reid Bride Det Spitallterrene Not To Seale Lair othe Vieimuncer Ruins of Gwalior Nautiloid) Landing Blasted Lands Fpaeaducy the Hungry One) Date tas secu ata = Aiming Pie Stbeerrene , Rangelands. 4 \ : eeD Advanced ungeons& Dragons Monstrous Arcana Dawn of the Overmind by Bruce R. Cordell Table of Contents (COMMENCEMENT ‘The Capital Terrene 12 Conditions Around the Ether Gap .... 40 Introduction 2 Nautlloid Landing Site 12 Overmind Overview 40 Pionie or Arcane tlithids? 2 River 12 Overmind Detall a ‘Common lithia Characteristics 2 Rangelands 32 Lignibossk 51 Background and Adventare Summary |. 2 Forerunner Village 13 ‘Character Involvement Hooks: 3 il 14 DENOUEMENT. Klar Lache 1M An Alternate Route to Success 52 (CELESTIAL EXCURSION Blasted Lands 15 Worst Case Scenario 52 The Nautioid 4 Cope 15 Conclusions 53 Inside the Nautioia 4 _Lalrof the Hungry One 15 Using the Annulus 53 Passage Through The Void 6 17 Using the Deactivation Cosie 53 ‘Wildspace, Phlogiston, 17 _Destraying the Support Mechanisms «54 and Crystal Spheres 6 Entrance to Capital Subterrene 19 Consequences 54 Journey Through Wilispace 6 The Capital Subtereene 20 Journey Through The Phlogiston ......7 The City Section 20 ARCANA AND BESTIARY Journey Through Truespace 8 The Tunnelscape 24 Annulus 55 The Nethermast 32 Bonethriven of Mastery 35 PENUMBRA. Laethen 56 First Sight 10 DAWN OF THE OVERMIND Tsensine’s Ring 56 Overview 10 What Now? 38 Stalfof Ancient Penumbra 57 Landing 11 Triggering A Psionic Portal 38 Vibrissagauntlet 35 "The Adventure Unfokds 11 Beyond the Portal 38 New Spel: Vieimancy 9 Local Conditions| 1 About The Overmind 39 llthocyte ‘ot Githyanki Resistance 39 Larva st Credits Bruce R. Cordell Editors: Andy Collins and Keith Francis Strohm Brand Manager: Thomas M, Reid {Art Director: Dawn Murin Cover Art: eff Easley Interior Art Glen Michael Angus Cartography: Dennis Kauth Graphic Design: Matt Adelsperger ‘Typesetting: Fric Haddock Playtesters: Mark Middleton, Marc Posner Sue Posner, Krista Donnelly, Pat Connolly, Jennifer Middleton, Jessica Middleton Sources: The ilithid “homeworld” was inspired by the description of Alderson Dises in Bigger Than Worlds by Larry Niven. Githyanki statistics and motivations were derived from their excellent portrayal in A Guide to the Astral Plane by Monte Cook. Monster Mythology by Carl Sargent, {att Doran & Da Mena ci PaO Sta Din Ma act SR po pe dle Th s a Canady roa Shins vty Wo Cont era dc ce red drape a Uta ae se Ay S, CANADA, ASIA, PACIFIC, & LATIN AMERICA Wizards of the Coast, Inc PO. Box 707 WA 98057-0707 800-324-6496, EUROPEAN HEADQUARTERS Wizards of the Coast, Belgium PB 2300 Turmhout Belgium +3 14-44-90-44 Rentoi ta Visit our website at wwwatsrine.comCommence The night went on ard on ‘The sun was rising slow Somewhere inthe dawon The saddest feelings graw. ~The Samples, Waited Up Intrstiveti dark agenda ofthe mina lagen, D s orlinkit together withthe Rs moles too epiclength adventure. i Theilithid trilogy supports The Mithiad, a MONSTR ARCANA® supplement. Although ‘thatbook to run the ilithid adventure trilogy, they tional mind flayer information contained within ‘even more depth to this adventure. These el in fs ol specific world or campaign. Fees oe individual ea tsa ear text. necessary, the DM should change es and Sma into an ongoing scenario. i 8H = SS SA ep halophagy hear noise chee R 7 in abilities). Notes SA Agi i elas sigieapRrenis 20 sie ets poe i i ‘the hapless individual in 1 round. A mind Psionic or Arcane ot we Iso use its ert close melee; each successful eam ieee inflicts points of damage and grasps the target's layers, some sources suggest that ilithids use arcane able with a successful bend bars /lift gates rol). When Pomme Arrant ie coving ities rpalerceae tacle holds the victim, each succeeding tentacle lulated by psionic devotions: Are psychic forces synonymous with gains a cumulative +1 bonus (toa maximum {he energy tspped by sane spel? Whatever the ruth poe tentacle attack). Once al four tentacles have ‘effects are actutizad according toa philosophy at odds with that attached tothe victim, the ilithid has sufficiently immobilize the used by spelcasters and arcane beasts. Of course, psionic abilities struggling target to draw its brain out in the next round. «are not appropriate for every DM's campaign. ‘Psionics Summary: #AT 1; MTHACO 10; MAC 5; Lv 10; PSPs 11004250; Psionic Attacks ego whip (EW), id insinua- tion (), mind blast (MB); Psionic Defenses All; Psionic Dis- ciplines astral projection, awe, body equilibrium, control body, domina fA Dorioess Gathering, the PCs uncovered a group of lithids eralaving city Through fore of arms and clever deduc ers ended he it by dei the its ing :mament above is any indication this nefarious plot affects moreEO Re ene A ‘However, the PCs rescued a friend from the illithids’ vile lair; this companion possessed a mysterious palm print (a psioni seal that resembles magical circuitry) given her ina dream, The shad- ovved dream messenger named Strom imparted mental directions that would aid the PCs in their quest to stop the mind layers. In Maslers of Eternal Night, the heroes followed the psionic palm prints urging io a barren steppe, all the while hunted by ilithid tracker The psionic impots ial le the heroes to an impact site made by anilthidplanetesimal (a large vessl that crashed onthe Ps worl. The player characters eventually uncovered an ancient ihc rautioia (a strange fying ship) buried beneath the snow of the impact crate. Through great daring, they assemble four navi- tational components and activated the ship. “This adventure begins withthe characters in possesion ofthe knowledge and the means to locate an ancient word ofthe ilithids. Ifthe PCs use the nautioidto travel, they will cover former illithid world, Penumbra. Penumbra ia vast elm, though not realy plane inthe con- ventional sense. The characters can locate the sit ofa devastated ith city with the help ofthe psanicpaim print. Many dangers Junki these ancient sis, Burl deeply within them sa device knownas the Annulus a psionic artifact crafted a the height of the ilthis’ empire the FCs can recover this artifact, they will havea chance to derail the lithic’ dark plan ‘The discovery ofthe Annulis riggers the psionic sea to carry cutit very lt directive: It provides the heroes a meant find its crestor the mysterious and long absent Strom Wakeman. trom resides at the heart of the Overmind, a great engine of destruction. built by thelithidsin ore to ret thee empire ot former sory With hishelp, the adventurers have the opportunity to pene trate the Overmind and use the Arnis to stop the ith. the heroes fail hope des with them, Aleanor Pathsteader In A Darkness Gathering and Masters of Elernal Night, the DM was encouraged to use a real PC or NPC from her campaign asthe indi- ‘vidual chosen by Strom. The module provided information on Aleanot Pathsteader, an NPC ranger in ease the DM had no one to fit the bill. Aleanor’s stats reappear here for ease of reference: ‘Aleanor Pathsteader, hf R7: AC 2 (studied leather +1 and Dex bonus); MV 12;hp 55; THACO 14 (12 long stood +2 and short sword +2;8 against illithids); #AT5/2; Dg 148+2/ 1d6+2 (long sword +2 and short swond +2);SA two-weapon fighting, ‘racking (18), move silently (53%) and hide in shadows (65%) innatural surroundings, +4 to attacks against ilithids (species enemy), animal influence, psionic seal; SZ M (5'8" tall; ML Champion (15); ALCG;XP 975. Notes: Aleanor’s move silently and hide in shaciows percentages are halved in ity or dungeon settings. SA—She can shift the encounter reaction ofa natural animal if the creature fails a save vs. rods (with a8 penalty); her psionic seal gives Aleanor mental directions toward her required desti- nation. $15,D18,C14,113,W16,CH15, ‘Special Possessions: Guardian (ong sword +2), short sword +2, studded leather armor +1. Character Involvement Hooks Dungeon Masters do not need to incomporate characters who have played through Masi of Flea Nigh int this adventure. [DMs who wish to run Dawn ofthe Overmind alone should use one of the bulleted points provided below to start the PCs on this adven- ture. Additionally, DMs running this module as stand-alone adventure should have the brainmate (a lump of gray matter the size of four fused fists) rather than the psionic palm print give the PCs hints and information. The objet communicates telepathically ‘withthe party and the nautioid. (4% In an unrelated scenario, the characters unearth a nau- * loid (complete with a navigational brainmate) from an ancient tomb. After this discovery, one or more ofthe player characters receives prophetic dreams from con- ‘cerned deities. The dreams inform the PCs that the nau- tiloid’s discovery was destined to happen, and that the player characters must follow the brainmate's instruc- tions in order to avert catastrophe. 2% PMs who do not wish to include space travel in their “> campaigns may dispense with the material presented on. the nauiilod. In this case, Penumbra lies on the PC’ very ‘own home world. A map, a sage's report, or the report of a dying adventurer leads the party to Penumbra’s loca tion. If tis information alone s not enough to tempt the characters, the DM should include hints of fantastic ‘magic or psionic engines of destruction waiting fora dar- ing party to find them. The camival comes to town! Amid many strange sights and displays the carnies offer interested folks the opportunity to see “an amazing discovery.” The camival workers pull over a lange wagon covered with a great tarp. The tarp hides “a relic of the stars.” For] gp, the PCscan have a look at the strange, terrible object beneath the tarp: It's the nautiloid! PCs who take a strong interest in the sip can pay an additional 10 gp to go inside for a look. Once inside, the nati (complete ‘with brainmate) launches itself toward its predetermine!